TMNT - Crossing the Line
by Ithilear
Summary: (I do not own TMNT. Fanfic based on fanart "Crossing the Line" by Sleepingseeker, /art/Crossing-the-Line-404444133.) Leo's and Karai's paths always seem to cross, but never merge. What would happen if they threw caution to the wind, ignored every barrier, followed their hearts, and united? Let the world crumble...it's their time.
1. Lies

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 **Fanfic based on "Crossing the Line" by Sleepingseeker**

 **art/Crossing-the-Line-404444133**

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 **I do not own TMNT.**

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 **Finally posting chapters from my new, and first original, Leorai fanfic!**

 **I hope you like it!**

 **Be sure to check out the fanart that inspired this story -**

 **follow the link above!**

 **Thanks for reading!**

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 _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

Leonardo stared at his bedroom ceiling. The lair was otherwise so silent, the "ticks" of his alarm clock resounded in his ears like a booming gong.

 _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

The seconds passed like hours. Sleep evaded him, and no amount of ninjutsu training enabled him to capture it.

 _Tick._

 _Just like Karai._

 _Tock._

 _WHY AM I STILL THINKING OF HER?!_

 _Tick_.

 _...I can't help it..._

 _Tock._

 _...I'll ALWAYS think of her._

Leo flipped onto his stomach and stared at the clock. The thoughts flooding his mind wouldn't be dammed, despite the number of imaginary shurikens he counted. _She didn't believe me_. Words they exchanged the night before last rushed to mind.

" _Karai, listen! There's something you should know. It's about your father...your REAL father! Your real name is Miwa!"_

" _I'm not interested in ANYTHING but YOU, begging for your life!"_

His face scrunched at the painful memory. _Karai is really Miwa, Splinter's daughter, but….she didn't believe me._ _She won't even listen..._ He squeezed his eyes shut, but the picture of her standing over Splinter's vulnerable, poisoned form lying on the rooftop...like a huntress looking down at the prey who'd evaded her for so long and was now, at last, in her clutches...the image continued to swim before his eyes, no matter how tightly he closed them. Leo couldn't watch her unknowingly harm her father. He had to do something, ANYthing, to stop her.

" _Karai...Karai, don't do this. Splinter – he's your father. Your TRUE father!"_

" _LIAR! You'd say anything to save him!"_

" _No, I swear it! He's your father, Hamato Yoshi."_

Leo sighed. _She didn't believe me...and she probably never will._ _How can I make her see the truth?_

He twisted onto his back and resumed his scrutiny of the unchanged ceiling. The shadows of the darkness seemed to twist and contort themselves into shapes the longer he stared. He rubbed his eyes. When he opened them again, her face appeared before them clearly in the darkness.

 _Karai!_

Leo bolted upright and slammed his fists onto his mattress, gritting his teeth in frustration. His heart, whether a willing captive or no, was inexorably bound to Karai. He knew now that it would never again be free.

"Enough of this," he whispered to the shadows. _I'll make her see_. _It's almost sunset..._ He rose from his bed and strapped his twin katana to his back, straightened his mask, and set his jaw. Leo's eyes darted back to his bed. After a moment's hesitation, he walked back to it, lifted the mattress with one hand, and with the other, pulled a slender tanto from beneath it. The memory of the night he acquired the crimson-hilted blade flashed into his mind - the night she saved his life. _She's worth it._ He slid the small sword snugly between the leather-bound sheaths of his katana. _Even if she never believes the truth about her father…._ He silently moved to the door. …. _I'll make her face the truth about me. …...About us._

After patiently waiting some minutes to ensure everyone else was still asleep, he slipped noiselessly into the hall, through the living quarters, and out to the abandoned subway that served as their main street. Leo didn't know where she'd be tonight….what might be going through her mind….but he knew they had a habit of finding each other, even in the vast city of New York. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, with the same inescapable pull the tiny insects felt just before getting burned. But rather than a candle, Karai was a wildfire, scorching everyone and everything that got too close.

 _She's about to see just how much pain I'm willing to go through to get to her.  
_

 _..._

 _..._

 _..._

Karai ran.

She didn't care where to.

She just had to run.

 _It's not true. It's NOT true. It's NOT TRUE!_ _It's a trick! A lousy trick from that lousy rat and his lousy turtles-_

She thought of Leo, and tears stung her eyes in the dry night air. _How COULD he?! How could Leo…I trusted him, once…. Then he went after Shredder – my FATHER – well…he didn't know, at the time….but he tried to KILL my father! And now, he's spreading Splinter's lies! He's devoted to that piece of filth….that he just called MY father! My FATHER! How COULD he?!_

Her kunoichi training and instincts served her well in her flight. Without thinking about what she was doing, Karai leaped from building to building, up flights of stairs, down fire escape ladders, over scaffolds and across alleys. Her breaths were ragged and deep. This exertion was nothing to her – no different from any other night - but her mind was reeling, and her body was following suit. She didn't want to believe him. She couldn't! How could she want to embrace the lie that her sworn enemy was actually, at one time, the man that sired her? _With the woman HE killed….my MOTHER! ….My mother_. Of all the lies they could've come up with, they had to tell her the most despicable one she could imagine.

Karai blinked back her tears as the wind whipped her hair into her face. That morning, just after dawn, when their battle was over and the Hamato clan was reveling in its victory, she had hidden behind a billboard and overheard their conversation. Raphael's voice echoed in her ears.

" _But what about Karai?"_

" _I still can't believe that evil witch is your daughter. Um...sorry to be so honest."_ Karai snarled at the thought of that bratty April O'Neil...

" _Perhaps one day she will believe the truth." Splinter replied. "But that is her decision."_

Karai growled between panting breaths. At the time, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. They _ALL_ seemed to believe that she was Splinter's daughter! Was their sensei so convincing, or were the turtles even more easily duped than she had thought?! How could they _possibly_ believe that she was their master's daughter? ... _Or...is it possible...could it possibly...be true...?_ This nagging thought, and other similar doubts, continued to creep into her mind against her will. She was losing the will to fight them, and so...she ran.

She had already traversed half of Manhattan since the sun went down. Just after crossing Broadway, her darting eyes glanced at a run-down theater. The warning tape crisscrossed over every entrance told her that the building, once beautiful and ornate, was now condemned and probably scheduled for demolition in the near future. _Perfect._ She made her way to the roof and kicked in the taped and locked door, releasing a sliver of her frustration. It was black inside. _Good_. She slid into the shadows and closed the door behind her. She wanted to be completely and utterly alone, with only her raging thoughts to accompany her in the darkness.

 _It's all a lie. It has to be._

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	2. Converge

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 2 - Converge**

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 **Two chapters in one night! Woot!**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **And, thanks for reading!**

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Leo wandered aimlessly through the concrete jungle. He knew there was no point in seeking Karai directly. During the brief time when they had trusted each other, he might have gone to the rooftop where they'd first met, or the alley where they'd first sparred and conversed, or to any one of the locations where they'd fought or talked together. Back then, she might have sought those spots with the same eagerness Leo did (though she'd never admit it), hoping to run into him. Now? Now…. _She could be anywhere_.

Despite his directionless movements, Leo felt an urgency to cover as much ground as possible, hoping to cast his net far and wide enough to somehow catch her in it. She was cat-like in so many ways – her sly grace, her playful arrogance, her coy manner, and especially now, her unpredictability. At long last, he reached Broadway. He hid behind a large billboard covered with flashing lights facing the street. Obscured from the view of passersby on the sidewalks below, he peered around the edge of the sign. Broadway was certainly a sight to see at night, every theater with its own signs, lights, and productions advertised as flashily as possible. The natives never once looked up in his direction; they were either too busy enjoying their evening out, or hailing a cab. The hum of chatter and traffic wafted up to him steadily on the breeze.

 _Bang_. Leo started at the sudden, sharp sound of metal hitting metal. His hands instinctively reached for his swords. _Bang_. His eyes darted to and fro, searching for the cause of the unexpected noise. He managed to quickly and quietly cross Broadway over the network of traffic lights and power lines strung between the two sides of the wide street. _Bang_. He was getting closer to the sound. _Bang_. Finally, he spotted the source: a door on the rooftop of an abandoned theater must have had a broken latch. It swung freely on its hinges, the wind blowing it open and closed. He landed on the rooftop and moved to get a closer look. The door swung inward for a moment before the wind, blowing past the entry with a low moaning sound, pulled the door loudly shut. _Bang_. But the latch didn't appear to be broken by time and neglect; it had been forced. There was a dent in the door's metal surface, roughly the shape of a foot…someone had kicked the door in. Leo pulled a katana from its sheath, gripped it with both hands, blade going before him, and slipped into the dark passage while the door was momentarily held open by the wind. It banged shut behind him.

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Karai was oblivious to the noise of the door. In spite of her confusion and anger, her kunoichi instincts kicked in, and she immediately brought her mind and body under control; she took a deep, calming breath, inhaling the musty scent of dust and decay that hung on the air. The building might have looked abandoned, but after all, this was New York. There could be any number of squatters, drug dealers, gangsters, or petty criminals of one sort or another inside. She kept her blade sheathed, but wrapped her fingers loosely around the hilt of her tanto. Karai's footfalls barely made a sound as she moved swiftly through the building, checking it thoroughly; from the stage and seats to the dressing rooms, props closets (still full of dusty furniture, costumes, and paraphernalia) to the trap room. It was here, in the even deeper blackness beneath the stage, that she finally stopped. She paced for a while as her torrid thoughts raged, with a stormy expression to match.

 _Why?_ She thought. _Why is all this happening? Why couldn't my life be…simple? Why did my mother have to die? Why do I have to be honor-bound to avenge her? Why must I fight, my whole life? Why can't I have peace, like so many others do? Why do I have to be caught in the middle of violence, and vengeance, and lies, and death?_ Karai clenched her fists as tears welled up beneath her yellow-gold irises, teetering on the edges of her eyelids and threatening to spill onto her porcelain cheeks. _Why can't I find….love?_ They left wet trails on her skin as they overflowed. _Why does my father's favor have to be earned, instead of freely given? Why do I always feel like a tool in his hands, instead of his most prized possession? And why….why does the only guy I've ever been drawn to have to be a MUTANT, and the protege of my greatest enemy?! Why did he have to LIE to me?! Why can't things be simple? …Why?!_

Karai's barely contained emotions, a turbulent concoction of pain, disbelief, confusion, denial, sadness, and anger, which had hitherto been bubbling beneath the surface, finally boiled over. She let out a howl like a wounded animal, drew her blade in an instant, and swung at the nearest wooden beam, as thick as a telephone pole and almost as tall, reaching far over her head into the darkness to support the stage above. The wood splintered and gave more than it would have in a newer building. Her sword sank into it, and she yanked it free only to plunge the blade in once more. Tears continued to drip from her chin as she struck, again, and again, and again, sending chunks of old, decaying wood flying in every direction. She didn't care if it wasn't smart. She didn't care if the whole building came down on top of her. _Let it fall. Let the whole world crumble...mine already is_.

Karai had fought for as long as she could remember. Now, she wanted to fight Splinter's lies...and Shredder's coldness...or was it the truth she railed against? How could she know? _Who is the real enemy?!_ In her desperation, she blindly struck anything she came in contact with. A single sob convulsed her body and escaped her throat. She cried out in the gloom. " _ **WHY?!**_ "

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Leonardo's body tensed as he descended the stairs leading from the roof down into the theater. He could smell the decaying wood and furniture, the layers of accumulated dust, the rodents that had made homes in the walls...but he could also hear, faintly, coming from far below, what sounded like a... _Battle_. They were faint, and muffled, but the sounds of steel striking something solid (exactly what, he had no clue) were unmistakable to his trained ears. Leo tightened his grip on his katana and moved forward with greater care. _What's going on in here?_ he wondered.

In spite of his best efforts at stealth, the floorboards creaked under his weight much more than usual. _This place is falling apart...who would choose such a hazardous battleground?_ As he entered the theater, his eyes scanned the rows of old, moth-eaten, velvet-upholstered seats, whose stuffing and springs were spilling out. The sounds were coming from someplace even further in. He focused on the stage and approached it cautiously. The noises - _whump, thud, bang -_ were definitely growing louder and clearer with each step he took. Yet – no one was on the stage. It was coming from beneath it.

After a quick search, Leo found the stairs leading to the trap room; the clanging of a sword echoed sharply against the walls of the stairwell as he went down. It was utterly dark; not a shred of light penetrated the blackness, yet his keen senses allowed him to hone in on the exact position of the source of the noise. This...person...was panting with exertion, occasionally grunting with effort, striking - something wooden, by the sound of it – with all their might. _That voice is distinctly...female..._

Leo continued his silent approach across the concrete foundation. He felt the splinters littering the floor trying in vain to stab through the tough, leathery soles of his feet. The closer he drew, the more he felt bits of wood flinging against his arms, legs, and shell. _What is she DOING?_ He frowned. _This is no place to be venting one's anger..._ The figure before him let out an unexpected sob, surprisingly sorrowful. He froze. _That sounds like...Karai! Is she...crying?!_

Leo had spent years training under a grandmaster of ninjutsu – yet he felt totally unprepared for this. _She's here! ...What is she DOING here? It's not safe!_ Before Leo could finish grasping that he had run into Karai like this, she cried out in agony: " _ **WHY?!**_ " He blinked, and frowned; guilt gnawed at his heart. _What must she be going through right now? ...Was I right to tell her, the way I did? I couldn't let her kill Splinter..._ The noise of Karai's onslaught stopped abruptly.

"Who's there...?" Karai was well-trained, too; she didn't have to use her eyes to sense that she was no longer alone. Her body was tense. Adrenaline began to surge through her limbs at the possibility of an actual threat so close to her unwary form.

Leo swallowed hard, and answered softly.

"Karai...it's me."

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	3. Confront

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 **TMNT - Crossing the Line - Chapter 3 - Confront**

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 **I do not own TMNT.**

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 **Please let me know what you think!  
Thanks for reading!**

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Karai blinked.

 _What on earth is HE doing here?!_

Leonardo's unexpected appearance left her dumbfounded; in the midst of her inner turmoil, she had no idea what to say, think, or do...yet her heart raced. She could feel, and hear, her own pulse throbbing through her veins and pounding in her ears.

 _Whump. Whump. Whump._

 _Leonardo._

 _Whump. Whump. Whump._

 _I once thought you were my greatest ally..._

 _Whump. Whump. Whump._

 _...but now, you're my greatest enemy._

 _Whump. Whump. Whump._

 _You liar._

 _Whump. Whump. Whump._

 _I hate you._

Her eyes narrowed to slits in the darkness; if looks could kill, Leo would have died by a thousand cuts where he stood; only the blackness would have saved him, shrouding and shielding him from her deadly gaze. Karai silently twisted her torso in the direction of his voice and moved her tanto before her, wielding it with both hands, aiming at his...presence. Even in this darkness, she could _feel_ him clearly, as though the strength and power of his very being could penetrate the gloom and force her to acknowledge him. Oh, how she hated that she could NEVER ignore him, especially when she wanted to. He was like a beacon of light glaring into her eyes when all she craved was darkness.

Her gloved hands tightened their grip on her weapon. The sound of her own heavy breathing clashed with the surrounding silence like thunder. Karai willed herself to stop panting from exertion and anger. She could hear him take a tentative step closer, splinters of wood crunching softly beneath his feet.

"Karai... Karai, I'm sorry."

She said nothing...only waited. Another crunch, another step.

"Karai... I know you didn't want to hear what I told you... I know it can't be easy to hear... But you needed to know. You _deserve_ to know the truth."

Leo's steps were cautious, and his voice, gentle, tinged with uncertainty and doubt. _Did I do the right thing?_ he wondered. _Should I have told her at a different time, or in a different way...? Either way, it's too late now..._

 _Crunch_.

"I had to tell you the truth, before it was too late...before you did something you'd come to regret. I...I just want what's best for you, Karai. I...care about you." His halting voice rang with sincerity.

 _You liar._

Karai's chest heaved. She wanted to roar at him in fury, scream in his face and beat him to a pulp. But she forced herself into silence, and waited, like a viper coiled beneath a rock, patiently waiting for its prey to draw near enough to strike.

Leo began to wonder if he had heard correctly. "Karai...? ...Are you still there...?" He raised his katana to eye level and squinted into the darkness, trying to detect any sight or sound of her. He knew he wasn't alone, but she was hiding her presence from him remarkably well. He stopped advancing and closed his eyes. _I can't see you, Karai...but I can feel you. I know you're still here... You're like a flame whose heat I can feel, though you've hidden your light from me._ Leo inhaled deeply and breathed out slowly, clearing his mind. He could hear Splinter's words echo in his thoughts: " _You must be able to sense your enemy's intention_." Leo smirked sadly. _Your fire isn't just hot - it's hostile._ He felt a tingle run up his spine. _Any second now..._ The air shifted. _She's moving_.

A faint sound finally broke the silence: the metallic ring of steel slicing through air. Leo, with eyes still closed, brought his blade up before him to block the incoming strike. The two swords crashed against each other like cymbals, sending sparks flying into the pitch blackness. All of Karai's venom was finally unleashed on her foe.

" _YOU_!" she hissed. "YOU _TRAITOR!"_ She swung her tanto at his torso; he knocked her blade away with his. _"_ YOU _LIAR!"_ Fresh tears singed her red eyes. Karai grimaced, her face wrenched with wrath and pain. "YOU BACK-STABBING -" She brought her blade down where she guessed his head to be. "- LYING -" Leo parried the blow. "- STUPID -" Karai drew three shurikens from her belt and flung them in his direction. She heard scuffling as he rolled out of their path; they clattered along the floor. "- SON OF A -" She lunged forward, stabbing where she thought Leo would be, but, frustratingly, jabbed only air. " - RAT!"

Leo jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding being impaled by Karai's blade. _She's REALLY wants to hurt me, this time!_ He blocked and parried the flurry of strikes she continued to aim at him in a steady barrage. "Karai!" He exclaimed between blows. "Karai, I don't want to fight you anymore!" She growled, but he pressed on. "I've NEVER wanted to be your enemy!"

"Shut-up!" she hissed, spinning to kick him in the plastron. Leo's feet skidded along the floor as he was pushed back by the force of her kick. "I used to want you for an ally..." Karai said as she advanced on him relentlessly. "...For a friend. But that was before you BETRAYED ME!" she shouted angrily. Leo persisted, his voice full of urgency. _I'm losing her to her pain! If I don't get her to believe me, soon..._ "I want to be on _your_ side, Karai! _YOURS_!" He pushed her tanto back with his katana. "Not Shredder's, not the Foot's... _YOURS_! I just want to fight beside _you_!" Karai's face was twisted with agony. She silently thanked the darkness for hiding the tears involuntarily streaming down her face.

"You're a _LIAR_!"

"It's the _TRUTH_!"

Karai yelled, enraged, as she brought her sword down in an arc toward him. He was closer than either of them had realized; the edge of her tanto met with flesh, slashing his left bicep. Leo could feel the trickle of warm blood running down his arm and dripping from his fingers. He gritted his teeth and continued to block her attacks with his sword in his right hand. "Karai! Don't do this!"

"SHUT UP!" she screamed. "You ruined _EVERYTHING!"_ Leo could hear the desperation in her voice, the pain, and...the heartache. "Just LEAVE! ME! ALONE!" Her voice almost choked with tears, but she managed to swallow the sobs that threatened to wrack her and channel all of her anger, and angst, into her attacks. Leo gripped the hilt of his katana with both hands now, fending off her recklessly powerful strikes. His left palm slid against the leather wrappings, still slick with fresh blood, which now dripped from his elbow onto the floor. She lunged at him, thrust her blade forward where she guessed his plastron to be, and felt the tip of her tanto meet with resistance. She had nicked his natural armor, leaving a small scar on the hard tissue. Leo gasped through his teeth and flipped back, putting a small space between them. _If I don't convince her, and soon, she may never give me another chance!_

Leo took a step back, now unsure of her exact position, and felt the back of his heel scrape the base of a wooden cylinder. The floor around it was heavily littered with chunks and splinters of wood. _The very beam she was taking her anger out on, before I showed up._ He peered into the blackness around them and called out earnestly, "Karai! ...Karai, I _can't_ leave you alone. You know that! I'd do _anything_ to protect you. What can I do to show you I _mean_ what I say?"

Karai's eyes narrowed dangerously in the dark, glaring exactly where Leo's voice was coming from. She crouched, tense, ready to spring at the one she had, at one time, wanted so badly to trust. _My life may not have been very happy, or pleasant, before I met you, Leo..._ She raised her tanto before her, peering over its edge toward her target. ... _But at least, before, my life was simpler. At least, then, I thought I knew who my real enemy was._ Her every muscle was taut as she hissed, "There's only one thing you can do for me now..." She sprang forward, raising her blade over her head. "...And that's _DIE!"_

Leo only had seconds to prepare for the strike he could hear, and feel, coming. His jaw clenched. _Here goes nothing_. When he could feel the air wash over his face at her approach, he immediately ducked, keeping his shell against the beam behind him. Karai yelled with all her adrenaline and fury fueling her attack, bringing her sword down over her head. She expected it to be met with either the squelch of flesh or the clang of steel, but instead, it sank into the wooden beam with a _thunk_. She tugged on her blade; it was stuck.

 _Now's my chance!_ Leo thought as he hooked his arm around her knees and pulled. Karai almost yelped in surprise; when he hadn't blocked her attack, she'd assumed he'd dodged to the left or right. _He's right beneath me!_ She gasped and held onto her sword hilt, using it to keep from losing her balance. After failing to bring her down with this first attempt, Leo rose halfway into a crouch, wrapped his arm around her waist, drove his shoulder into her abdomen, and lunged with all his might. Her hands were forced to loose their grip on her sword, and the two hit the concrete floor with a thud. He tried to pin her, quickly, and force her to listen, but she struggled with everything she had. "Let...go of me, Leo! Let...GO!"

Before he could utter a single word, Karai managed to grab his shoulders, push, and turn to her side, unbalancing and flipping him onto his shell. Leo thought she might try to pin him, but instead, she leaped up from the floor and sprinted back to the beam, feeling for her sword. It only took a few seconds to find it, while Leo was rising and getting his bearings. He could hear her grunting with effort as she tried to dislodge the blade. He turned toward the sound, and suddenly, froze.

Karai, distracted as she was with her attempts to regain her primary weapon, failed to notice the noises coming from above. It was just one creak, at first; but it was soon followed by a loud groan she couldn't ignore. Leo gasped with realization. "Karai! Karai, STOP! Listen!" He stepped closer to her. "The stage..."

Karai, blinded by her rage, heard the sounds coming from above, but refused to stop. She panted and pulled until finally, her tanto came free. A second later, as she turned to face Leonardo, a loud cracking and groaning sound of wood splitting and breaking came from over her head. _No! Karai!_ The sword fell from Leo's hands. He dove straight for her, angling himself to avoid pushing her into the beam at her back. His right hand gripped the back of her head; his left arm wrapped around her waist, his forearm running along her spine and his fingers spread between her shoulder blades. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impacts; first from below, and then from above.

They hit the concrete hard, several yards away from the rotting beam. Leo's protectively placed hands and arms were scraped mercilessly as they slid along the floor before coming to a stop. Karai saw stars swimming before her eyes; even with Leo cradling her head, the force of being tackled to the floor, on her back, still knocked the wind out of her. Temporarily dazed, she suddenly felt Leo's arms loosen around her. _What is he doing?_ she wondered. He positioned himself on his elbows and knees, hovering over her slightly. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself: _This is going to hurt._

There was an eerie moment of silence before it hit them. The beam, more rotten at its core than they had guessed, gave way, thankfully cracking and falling away from them. But the stage above, which served as their ceiling, began to cave in. A huge section, several yards wide at least, fell just after the beam did. It seemed to descend in slow motion as Leo awaited the blow to his shell. He opened his eyes to look down at Karai, wishing he could see her face, but all he saw was blackness. He took a deep breath, inhaling the cherry-blossom scent that always seemed to linger on her hair. _She's worth it_.

The stage crashed onto Leo's shell and knocked the breath from his lungs, forcing him down onto Karai's prostrate form. He fought the weight and the force to keep from crushing her beneath him, but there was only so much he could do to fight gravity and the enormous weight pressing on him. Karai gasped, feeling Leo's strong body crumple onto hers, squeezing every wisp of air out of her once more. She closed her eyes and mouth; splinters, dust, and debris were filling the air, immediately choking her if she tried to inhale. All she could do was hold her breath and wait.

Leo's teeth were grinding, his arms and legs shaking with effort as he tried his best to keep the crushing weight off of her. His entire body was covered with planks and beams from the stage; he hoped and prayed that her feet and shins, which he hadn't entirely managed to cover with his own, were unharmed. He couldn't see; he couldn't breathe; Leo simply waited for the air to settle, and thought of her. _Karai...you reckless...beautiful...you'd better be okay..._

Finally, Karai could hold her breath no longer. She gasped for air, sucking in some of the dust that had yet to settle, and immediately began to cough. She felt Leo's arms tighten around her. His voice was full of pain, and concern. "Karai...are you okay?" She couldn't answer; only choke. He let go of her and, with great effort, began to push himself up slowly so that his body was about six inches above hers, trying to give her more room to breathe. He yelled from the exertion and pain.

At last the coughing fit subsided. Karai looked up at her protector – at least, where she knew him to be – and felt pangs of guilt and concern stab her heart. _He really would do ANYthing to protect me._ She blindly raised her hands to his plastron, from there feeling her way to his shoulders and arms. The gloved fingertips of her right hand were dampened with blood. "Leo...are you okay?"

He could hear the genuine concern in her voice, but it was hard to appreciate at the moment. He grunted. "I'll be fine." His voice was strained. She reached up to the back of his head and neck, pushing and pulling the rubble, trying to help free them both. Leo pushed himself from his elbows up onto his hands with tremendous effort, crying out from the excruciating pain, then fell back onto Karai without warning. He raised himself to his elbows once more. She could hear him straining and panting between clenched teeth.

Karai gasped as he fell back onto her, but began trying even harder to clear some of the debris from his back. Suddenly, she froze. Her fingers felt something protruding from his shell...a huge splinter of wood was sticking up out of it. Realization hit her harder than the stage had: _If he hadn't shielded me with his own body...that shard would have gone right through me._ Fresh tears welled in her eyes. "Leo..." she whispered, not knowing what to say.

His face, contorted with pain, still smirked. His voice was raspy. "You said the only way I could prove myself to you...was to die."

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	4. Cooperate

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 4 – Cooperate**

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 **Finally getting this posted;** **so sorry for the long wait!**

 **I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think!**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading!**

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Tears began flowing from the outer corners of Karai's eyes, leaving clean, wet trails in their wake, washing the skin beneath them from the thick layer of dust clinging to her face. She almost couldn't swallow the lump in her throat. "Leo…" she choked. "Leo, I…"

"Shhh," he said, wincing. "You don't have to say anything."

Karai bit her lip, trying to stop it from trembling. "Yes, Leo… …Yes, I do…"

"Save it," he grunted, exerting himself once more to straighten his arms and lift the pile of rubble, and himself, off of her. _No point in wasting his efforts!_ she thought, scrambling backwards to get out from under his planked form. Some debris bit into her palms as she dragged herself free, but their heads had been near the outer edge of the fallen portion of the stage, and it didn't take long for her to get to where she could stand. As soon as she could, she stepped back toward her guardian, bending down and feeling with her hands for any sign of him, trying to avoid stepping on the wounded ninja as she sought to find and free him. "Leo…where are you?"

"Here!" he called. She moved toward the hoarse sound of his voice. Her fingers brushed something smooth and firm, and decidedly not made of wood. _His shoulder._ She lifted the boards crisscrossing his shell as quickly and carefully as she could, twisting to throw them away behind her where she knew they couldn't injure him further; they clattered and thudded against the ground noisily, but she was too intent on uncovering Leo to care if she made a racket. After raising one particularly heavy beam, which she had to slide to one side, being unable to throw it, she could hear him moving, pulling his legs out from beneath the wreckage and drawing them up to his chest. He rose slowly, unsteadily, and the remaining fragments of the broken stage fell from his shell to the floor. Karai reached out for him in the darkness.

Leo felt her gloved hand, rough from its coating of splinters and sawdust, brush his right arm. If he hadn't already been shaking from pain, adrenaline, and exhaustion, he might have trembled at the sudden gentleness of her touch. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Even in the midst of the remains of a collapsed stage that could have killed them both, her touch was something he would always savor.

Leo blinked; he suddenly realized that Karai was carefully lifting his arm. She stepped close to his side and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders, then reached across his shell and gripped the left side of it, pulling him even closer to her. She reached up to grip his right hand in hers, ensuring his arm wouldn't slip off her shoulders when they began to walk. "We need to get out of here, before any more of that stage falls…"

Leo nodded and winced. Allowing her to lead them, they stepped slowly around the mound of debris and towards where they guessed the door to be. With each painful, limping, step, Leo's arm involuntarily pulled down on her shoulders, and Karai gripped his shell even tighter, steadying him against her side. It was like participating in a slow-motion three-legged race; they coordinated each step to keep from tripping over each other as they crossed the splinter-strewn floor. The blinding darkness was oppressive, slowing them even more, when all Karai wanted to do was get Leo to safety so she could examine the wounds that she had unwittingly inflicted upon him. _Why did I even come to this decrepit theater?!_ Karai thought remorsefully. _I was angry, yes, but…it was a pretty dumb move…_

"Karai?" Leo whispered, startling her out of her regret. Despite the pitch blackness about them, her eyes involuntarily cut over to where she knew his face to be. "Thanks…for helping me out of there…"

Karai's eyes refocused on the blackness ahead; she scowled silently. _How can you, Leo?!_ _After everything I've done to you… All the times I've tried to capture, or kill you… Use you as bait… How can you thank me for lifting a few boards from your shoulders?! As if you haven't done so much more for me… You stupid…selfless…noble…goody-three-toes…_

Karai's sense of guilt grew with each step they took up the stairs. She tightened her grip on Leo's hand as it hung over her shoulder, making sure he wouldn't accidentally let go and tumble down the long, concrete flight behind them. Leo set his jaw as his fingers tightened around hers. _I could never let her go_.

They slowly made their way from the trap room stairwell to the corridors leading around the auditorium, approaching the passage that lead to the roof. _Bang_. The door to the rooftop was still banging open and shut in the wind, the faint sound growing louder with each painstaking step they took. The gloom here was lessened, though only vague shapes and shadows could be guessed at, and no details could be made out with precision. Still, it was a welcome change from the utter lack of light below.

Finally, they were ascending the stairs of the emergency exit that led to the theater's rooftop. The door above swung open, and the dark reddish glow of the sky, whose low clouds were illuminated by the city's countless lights, could be seen for a moment before the door swung shut and blocked the view once more. Karai was growing tired from supporting the strong, sturdy, ninja, but she held on tightly to him and helped propel him forward. "We're almost there…" she panted. Leo reached out with his bloodied left arm to catch the door when it swung in toward them. The wind gusted and howled down the passage behind them as they stepped out onto the roof.

Karai helped Leo over to the nearest ledge and gently lowered him to sit on the concrete shelf. He cringed and wrapped his right hand about the cut on his left arm to attempt to stop the bleeding, which had already slowed to a trickle. Karai straightened and looked down at him; her expression was hard, but the look in her eyes was soft. It hurt her much more than she'd expected, seeing him like this, weakened and wounded because of her actions. _Because I didn't care. I didn't care what happened to me in there, and when he showed up…I didn't care what happened to him, either._

Without warning, Karai gripped Leo's dusty, bruised shoulders and gently, yet forcefully, pulled him toward her so she could get a better look at the shard of wood protruding from his shell where his left shoulder blade ought to be. Leo's muscles tensed, and for a moment he tried to look up at her, but he soon relaxed his body and closed his eyes. _My brothers would call me crazy, but…I don't care what they say. I trust her._

Karai frowned. The wood was old and decaying – it definitely needed to come out of his shell, and quickly, before it caused an infection – but, upon closer inspection, it didn't seem to have penetrated as deeply as she had originally feared. She touched it gingerly; Leo winced. "How bad is it?"

"It might not be very deep…I hope," she replied simply. "But we really need to remove it and clean the wound …"

"We…?" Leo looked up at her; she pretended not to notice his searching gaze and continued, ignoring the interruption. "…Before it gets infected. If it does, it's going to be extremely difficult to draw out the infection, being inside your shell, and take you MUCH longer to heal…"

"We…?" Leo repeated. Karai sighed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes. "Yes, we. After all, I am responsible…" She looked down at him and her voice trailed off; she wasn't sure which his eyes contained more of: hope, pain, or glum resignation. _Probably all of the above…_ After a moment's consideration, her expression softened somewhat, though her voice was grave. "I am responsible for your condition…and you risked your life to save mine. These wounds are…my fault." She swallowed. "And whether we're enemies, or…friends…for me to abandon you in this state, after what you did to protect me, would be beyond low. I may not be a goody-three-toes like you, but I still have _some_ honor."

Leo's deep blue eyes scrutinized her face. His piercing gaze almost made her want to look away, but Karai wasn't one to be cowed by a look – unless it came from an irate Shredder. She met his gaze steadily, doing her best to keep her face a mask of stoic pragmatism. _Little does he know,_ she mused, _how badly I wish I could take back all of those harsh words and cruel strikes… Little does he know how much I want to…to thank him…and trust him…and maybe, just maybe…believe him._

"Karai?" Leo's gaze intensified even more, and his voice, while low in volume, was fervent with anticipation. "…Do you…believe me? Everything I said to you, under the stage?" His mouth suddenly felt dry as he swallowed. Karai's lips parted as though she would respond immediately; Leo held his breath. But the next moment, her lips pursed, she clenched her jaw and fists, and seemed to be at war with herself for how to respond.

At last, after several more seconds of struggling for an answer, Karai took a deep breath. "I don't believe everything you _said_ …but I do believe that _you_ believe you were being truthful." Leo opened his mouth to speak; Karai held up a hand to stop him. "…And that's ALL I'll say right now. This is not our priority; we can talk more later, AFTER we get you cleaned up. The only question now is…where do we go to do that?" She looked about at the surrounding rooftops, thinking out loud as she pondered their options. "Obviously, my place is out, unless you want Shredder to finish what I started…" Even as the thoughtless words left her lips, fresh waves of guilt and regret flooded her heart. "And while _you_ may trust me, I know your brothers don't, so I can't help you get home without turning them against me…us…even more." Leo blinked. _What did she mean by "us"?_ "And of course, no hospitals for you…"

Leo suddenly sat up straight. "…Hospital... …I know where to go!" Karai looked down at him with an eyebrow arched and her hands on her hips. "April's apartment!" he exclaimed. Karai scowled. "NO way. The last thing I want right now is to hear that brat telling you how evil I am, while cleaning up my mess…"

"She isn't home," Leo interjected. "She's staying with a friend from school while her aunt's out of town and her dad is…ahem…indisposed." Karai looked dubious. "It's perfect!" Leo insisted. "Her aunt is a nurse – and a professor. She's out of town giving a series of lectures at another university. And, according to April, being a nurse, her aunt's "first aid kit" is a heck of a lot more advanced than most. She's got plenty of medical supplies, and April wouldn't mind me using them, if she knew I really needed to."

Karai hesitated. _Our options are so limited… It's hard to turn down. Privacy, with access to medical supplies, and a safe place for Leo to rest up a bit before going home…_ She sighed and nodded begrudgingly. "Fine. It does sound like our best option…for now. But how far is it?" Leo grimaced as he pushed himself up from the ledge; every muscle in his body felt sore and bruised. Karai gripped his elbows and helped him stand. "Not exactly a hop, skip, and jump, but…if we go through the sewers, we can take a more direct route, and not have to worry about onlookers. I'm not exactly at my stealthiest right now…"

Karai grinned halfheartedly, taking his arm and hooking it over her shoulders again. "You never were as stealthy as you'd like to think…" Leo glanced over at her and growled softly. "Who said I was trying to be, around you?" Their eyes met, and she blinked. _Why is he being so…so honest? I could never admit to him how many times I hoped our paths would cross…how disappointed I felt when they didn't…_ Leo scoffed when Karai said nothing. "Never mind. Like you said…it doesn't matter now." Their right hands gripped each other tightly as they began to move to the nearest fire escape ladder. Leo wasn't smiling. _Something's different,_ thought Karai. _He isn't acting like his usual cool, collected, cocky, self. He's wearing his heart on his sleeve tonight._ She couldn't help watching him out of the corner of her eye, wondering what was going through his mind.

"It'll be dawn in a few hours," Leo remarked when they reached the ladder. "We need to move quickly." Karai arched a brow at him as she stepped out from under his arm and turned to face him. He rolled his eyes. "I know, I know; I'm not exactly at my speediest right now, either." She tried her best to grin at him playfully, with the same teasing manner she used to have whenever they met; this time, however, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes that wasn't usually there. Leo's observant nature couldn't overlook it. "Hey…" he said softly, starting to reach for her hand. "It's okay…I'll be fine."

The sadness instantly turned to a glint as hard as steel. "I know," she snapped. "I never could get rid of you, even when I wanted to…" Her voice faltered. _She's trying to shut me out again,_ Leo thought sadly, frowning. _Will she ever admit to herself, let alone me, how she really feels?_

Karai's eyes glistened. _How does he always manage to see right through me, no matter which mask I wear?_ _No matter how hard I try to push him away…no matter how much I hurt him in the process…he never budges. I…I don't even deserve someone like him. Maybe the kindest thing I can do for Leo…is stay out of his life completely. Before I hurt him even more. Because at this rate, next time, he might not survive saving me from myself._

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	5. Consider

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 5 – Consider**

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 **I do not own TMNT.**

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 **Here it is! I've been working on this chapter**

 **for a few days now; please let me know what you think!**

 **I hope you enjoy it, and thanks again for reading!**

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"Ow!"

"Don't be such a baby, Leo."

"We already know my arm is cut…do you really need to squeeze it?!"

"I'm trying to make sure there's no debris in the wound before it completely scabs over!"

The two ninja had walked in silence all the way to April's apartment. Even taking shortcuts through the sewers it had taken several hours, and it was just before dawn when they'd emerged onto the street, climbed the fire escape, and sneaked in through the window. Fortunately for them, every native New Yorker knew that only tourists look up in the city, and, being preoccupied with cups of coffee, bagels, backpacks, and/or briefcases, no one bothered to notice the unusual pair as they'd tumbled in onto the carpeted floor. Both of the warriors were nimble and athletic, but the long, slow walk with Karai supporting a wounded Leo's muscular frame had worn them both out. For a solid minute they laid on the floor, side-by-side, catching their breath and thanking the stars that they had made it there unseen.

Karai had suddenly gotten up, walked to the window, closed and locked it, and gone to every other window and door in the apartment, closing curtains and checking locks. Satisfied with their security, she'd come back to Leo and knelt in front of him where he lay on his right side, closely examining his injuries; tired as she was, there was no more time to lose. His feet were full of splinters; the backs of his head, legs, and shoulders were badly scraped and bruised; there was a hairline crack at the top of his shell, near the piece of wood jutting from it; his hands and forearms were scratched and covered in new scabs; and, of course, there was a laceration on his left bicep. Most of his body was covered in chalky white plaster dust and sprinkled with fragments of wood.

Karai gently squeezed the cut on his left arm one last time, watching as thick, dark blood oozed out of it, before pushing Leo onto his stomach so she could grab his good – well, better – arm and pull him to his feet. With her pulling up on only one side of him, he spun as he arose, and they soon found themselves chest-to-chest. For a single heartbeat, he studied her face; before he could open his mouth to say anything, Karai stepped back and seized his hand – gently – pulling him along behind her to the kitchen. "C'mon...let's get you cleaned up." Her tone was matter-of-fact. _I'm only here because I owe you one, Leo. Well, more than one, but still. I'm NOT here to bat my eyelashes at you._ She set her jaw firmly, spun, and pushed Leo down into a white kitchen chair she'd yanked out from under the table. "Sit."

Leo didn't say a word, but his blue eyes narrowed as he watched her every movement. She marched to the sink, removed her steel bracers, pulled up her sleeves, and washed her hands and arms up to the elbows. He knew she was just there to help him – repaying a debt – but that didn't explain the tremble in her voice a few hours earlier, when they lay under a fallen stage, and she realized just how much he'd risked to save her life. _I know I didn't imagine it. I KNOW there's something...something more, between us...and she knows it, too._ Karai's golden eyes glancing over her shoulder at him snapped him out of his thoughts. "So where's this great first aid kit you mentioned?"

Leo blinked, caught off guard, and stammered, "I-I'm not sure...April's talked about all the medical stuff her aunt has, but she never said where she keeps it."

Karai nodded and began to search; Leo's eyes followed her until she left the kitchen. _She's trying too hard again,_ he realized. _She's trying too hard to be all business, no-nonsense... ...She's bluffing. I wonder if she's even aware..._ He stared at her blankly when she re-entered the room, hoping his face didn't betray his thoughts. She arched a brow, placing what appeared to be a large, red, plastic suitcase and an equally large, red duffel on the kitchen table. Leo whistled, trying to sound normal: "April wasn't lying about her aunt's medical supply stash..."

Karai gave a sideways grin at his remark, doing her best to act more naturally. When she'd bustled out of the kitchen a minute earlier she'd realized how sternly she was behaving and told herself to slow down, take it easy. _But, he is badly injured...that's why I'm in such a rush. ...Stop it, Karai. Who're you kidding? You know why you're acting this way. It's because he sees you so clearly – too clearly – and you're more comfortable hiding in the shadows._ She began rummaging through the supplies. _...Just, whatever. I just need to take care of him so I can get away from here...away from him. It's for his own good and safety._

Karai soon found a smaller kit inside the larger one whose label read, "Surgical Clamps and Sutures". "Found it," she said out loud, and finding some disinfecting wipes, she quickly and thoroughly cleaned the area of Leo's shell surrounding the embedded piece of wood. A moment later she was using a pair of clamps to grip the shard and slowly, carefully, try to pull it out. Leo winced, only once, swiftly bringing his mind and body under control. Distracted by his suddenly slow breathing, perfect posture, and calm expression, Karai stopped pulling for a moment just to watch him. Tranquility seemed to emanate from his entire being; never had she seen a ninja meditate so masterfully at such a young age. _Splinter…must be a great sensei. And Leo – he really IS a great ninja_. Her heart pounded a few times before she went back to work on the shard.

It took several minutes of slow, patient, progress – she had to be careful not to pull too hard or fast, risking breaking a piece of the decaying wood off inside his shell – but at last, the whole thing came free. As she held the shard up in triumph, a stream of blood began to trickle slowly from the hole in his shell, which was reminiscent of a bullet wound. Karai set the clamped wood down on the table, irrigated the wound with a squeeze bottle of distilled water she found in the duffel, grabbed some packing gauze, and used clean clamps to carefully stuff it into the wound. "How are you doing, Leo?" she asked the silent ninja's back; he hadn't stirred or made a sound since he began meditating. Leo inhaled deeply and breathed out, "I'm fine."

It barely took any packing gauze to fill the hole; Karai sighed with relief. "I was right…it wasn't very deep at all." Leo gave a slow nod. She snipped the gauze, pushed the end inside his shell, and set down the clamps. "Leo – do you know if April's aunt has any duct tape?" Leo opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder at her quizzically. "To make a water-tight seal, so you can shower and get cleaned up?" Leo's cheeks flushed slightly; he hoped she didn't notice. "After that, we can patch it with gauze and medical tape to let the wound breathe, but for now, duct tape would be the best thing to make sure it stays clean and dry." Leo turned away and looked straight ahead. "I'm sorry, but I don't know."

Karai went on the hunt again, and soon returned with a roll of silver-gray tape on her wrist. She used her teeth to tear off several lengths, placed them in an overlapping pattern over the wound, pressed the patch down firmly to make sure the seal was tight, and finally brushed her hands together victoriously. "Not bad, if I do say so myself…" She felt a genuine smile involuntarily creep to her lips, and thanked the heavens that Leo's back was turned. It felt surprisingly good to be helping him like this, and a relief that it looked like he would make a full, and speedy, recovery.

She walked around to Leo's front and placed a hand on his chiseled shoulder; his eyes opened and rose to her face. "Let's get these off of you…" Karai said simply, reaching for the leather straps crossing his chest. Leo caught her wrist; she stopped, looked at him, and arched a brow.

"I can handle this."

Karai looked unamused. "I know that – I'm just trying to help. It's not like I'm undressing you; you don't wear clothes, anyway." Leo blushed and snapped his jaw shut. When he failed to retort right away, she began to gently tug up on the scarred leather belt about his waist. He tried to protest, but before he could stammer out a word, she ordered him to raise his arms up so she could lift the belt, straps, and weapons over his head in one swift movement. Leo grimaced in pain as he lowered his arms back to his sides. _Maybe I could use her help more than I'd care to admit...I hurt all over._ Walking over to the table, Karai carefully placed what she was sure were Leo's most prized possessions upon it and spoke without turning to face him: "You go get cleaned up. We can address the lesser injuries after."

Leo rose stiffly, stretching his sore muscles, and watched her thoughtfully for a moment before exiting the kitchen. Karai's brows furrowed. _What should I do? Should I just...leave? He's a grown turtle; I'm sure he's no stranger to nursing his own wounds after a battle. At this point, I doubt he really needs my help - except, maybe, to stitch his arm..._ Karai's ears perked as she heard the water turn on in the shower down the hall; she thought she heard Leo groan as the hot liquid hit his many abrasions. She bit her lip. _I could go, now, before he gets out..._ Her gaze dropped to the sink, full of guilt. She slowly shook her head and closed her eyes. _No, I can't do that. I have to make sure he's truly okay, first. I have to clean up my own mess. There's no honor in leaving him to finish patching the holes I made._

Karai busied herself, wiping up the blood and water from the chair and floor, putting away the items she wouldn't need, and locating the ones she would in order to finish what she had begun. Soon, she had gathered a sizable pile of gauze, tape, bandages, disinfectant wipes, antibiotic ointment, sutures, thread, clamps, and tweezers. _That should be enough... How much longer is he going to be in there...?_ A movement caught her attention; she gasped as her eyes jerked up from the supply-strewn tabletop: Leo was standing in the doorway, dripping wet and mask-less. Embarrassed that he actually managed to catch her off guard, she snapped, "Haven't you ever heard of a towel?"

She had never seen him look so serious before...and that was saying something, for Leo. He never grinned, or blinked; simply said, "I wanted to make sure you were still here." For a split second Karai's eyes went wide, betraying her shock at his astute remark. _How could he possibly know what I was considering...?_ She recovered quickly, narrowing her eyes at him; her tone grew even sharper. "Of course I am. You really think I'd leave you like this? You think just because I'm Shredder's daughter, that I have NO honor at all?!"

Leo replied quietly. "Of course not. But I think...I think you're scared. Not of me," He said quickly when she opened her mouth to protest. "...But of something. I just hope you'll trust me enough to tell me what you're so afraid of, someday."

 _There's nothing I can say or do,_ Karai thought as they both silently, motionlessly, studied each other. _Because...he's right. Splinter even said almost the same thing to me, the night before last...that I have my mother's spirit: "So fierce, and yet...so scared."_ The thought of her mother, Tang Shen, caused her dust-filled eyes to sting with burning-hot tears. She blinked them away. "Shut-up, Leo," her dangerous tone warned. "I'm _not_ scared, and I don't trust _anyone_." She marched over to him, grabbed his right elbow, and began pulling him back to the kitchen chair; he yanked his arm out of her grip and stopped in his tracks. Karai turned on him angrily. "What're you doing? Let's get this over with!"

Leo calmly met her gaze. "Not until _you_ get cleaned up," he said firmly. She looked down at her body; Leo, and her armor, had done a decent job of protecting her from the truly dangerous and damaging debris from the collapse, but she was filthy, and not entirely without injury. The adrenaline that had kept her going strong until now had finally ebbed away, and she realized as she followed Leo's gaze that her bodysuit was torn in several places, mostly on her thighs and upper arms, and angry, red, scraped skin could be seen underneath. The cloth hardly looked black anymore, being coated in plaster and sawdust, and flecks of old paint and varnish. She didn't even want to think about what her hair looked like...

"I can wait, Karai," Leo said gently. "Most of my wounds just needed a good cleaning, and they've had that now. It's your turn; _then_ I'll let you see about the rest of my injuries. That is...if you still want to." Something in his voice told Karai that there was much more comprehension in his statement than he let on. _What is he thinking?_ she wondered. _I wish I knew what was going on in his head – he always seems to know what's going on in mine._

"Fine," she snarled, walking abruptly past him and down the hall, her fingers already undoing the hidden clasps that held her breastplate on with expert speed. _Always so noble._ Karai slammed the bathroom door shut. _So chivalrous._ She quickly stripped off her remaining scuffed armor and dirty clothing, yanking on the knob to start the shower. _What if I don't want you to put me first for a change, Leo?_ She climbed into the steaming water, wincing as she began scrubbing off the dirt and grime – she was much more bruised than she'd originally thought. _What if I'm a "damsel in distress"..._ She growled at the thought of being seen in such a delicate, helpless way. _...Who doesn't want to be saved?_

The hot water felt so good on her tired, aching limbs she was reluctant to get out into the cooler air of the bathroom, but at last, she emerged. Wrapping a towel around herself, she rubbed the fog off of the mirror with one hand; her reflection startled her somewhat. Her right cheekbone was scraped and bruised, turning it a lovely shade of lavender streaked with red, and there was a thin, red cut on the left side of her jaw. Her waterproof makeup had stayed in place, of course, but now her complexion seemed a little too colorful...bordering on clownish. She sighed and pulled her fingers through her hair. _Not like I'm trying to impress anyone today._

Karai stepped over to her clothing, which lay in a heap on the floor. She picked up each article to examine it, and noticed a smaller pile of brown and white lay beneath her own clothes and armor. _Leo's knee and elbow pads, and the wrappings he always wears on his hands and feet..._ She caught sight of something blue, almost the same shade as his eyes, and picked it up, stroking the worn fabric with her thumb. _His mask_. She stared down at it thoughtfully for several minutes before slowly placing it on the counter and turning back to her own clothes. The bodysuit was out of the question, riddled with holes and covered in debris, but her underclothes – biker shorts and a sleeveless shirt – were relatively clean and undamaged. She slipped them on. _Better than nothing..._

Steam billowed out into the hall as she opened the bathroom door. She sighed with contentment, rubbing her hair with a towel, and slowly walked down the hall. _Alright, I admit...I'm glad he made me shower. That felt WAY better than I thought it would; I didn't realize how sore I was._ She glanced into the kitchen...it was empty. _Where'd he go?_ Continuing down the narrow passage, her eyes glanced into each room she passed until she entered the living room. There, on an old-fashioned, comfortable looking couch, lay Leo on his side, eyes closed and breathing slowly.

 _Is he...asleep? I can't blame him if he is...he's going to need a lot of rest to heal up completely._ Karai tiptoed closer to him. "Leo?" she whispered. "Are you asleep?" He didn't move a muscle. She bit her lip. _I know I decided earlier, but...I do still have a choice...to stay, or to go._ She silently stepped closer to him. _Do I?_ Her eyes traced over his features...he was still mask-less, and she'd never had such an unobstructed view of his face before. The deep, cobalt eyes that she couldn't help sinking into (though she'd never admit it) were closed, but his jaw, his cheekbones, seemed somehow different without his mask. She hadn't noticed before how his features seemed both gentle and hard at the same time; smooth, and etched.

Moving even closer, the dim sunlight filtering through the drawn curtains played across Leo's form. The hard shell, the green skintone...these things seemed both natural and foreign on him, in her eyes. Ever since they met, she'd always seen him as... _Human. With more humanity than most humans I know._ Irrisistably drawn to this serene ninja, she slowly reached out with her right hand and, with a feather-soft touch, ran her fingertips along his jaw. _No,_ she decided, again and for the last time. _No, I can't leave him like this. Not yet. He's done so much for me...I need to see this through._

Karai smiled sadly to herself, gazing down into the sapphire blue eyes that seemed to look into her soul. She blinked. _Wait, what?! He's awake!_ A large, green hand seized her wrist.

"Karai...what're you doing?"

She tried to snatch her hand away. "Checking your face for scrapes, idiot."

He said nothing.

"Can I have my hand back now?"

There was a tinge of reluctance in his fingers as they slowly released her slender wrist.

"Thanks. If you're more comfortable on the couch we can finish up in here, if you want; I'm mostly interested in taking care of that cut..." She leaned over his arm, peering at it closely and acting like nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. "It does look much cleaner now... Here, you sit up, and I'll get the supplies." She slid her left hand under his muscular neck – her breath caught, in spite of herself – and pulled up, helping him to sit up and lean back. Leo's eyes watched her meticulously; leaning over him as she was, she felt so close – he could feel the heat radiating from her flushed skin, still hot from the shower. _And yet, I know that as soon as I try to get closer...she'll push me away. And if I mess up this time, she might go so far as to never come back._

In less than a minute, Karai left and returned with a huge mixing bowl on her hip into which she had scooped all of the supplies she had previously gathered. She set it on the floor beside Leo's feet and knelt in front of him, gently gripping his left arm and drawing it toward her. The cut wasn't very deep, but it had bled quite a bit when it was fresh. "I thought this would need stitches, but..." She moved her face even closer to his arm, looking inside the wound. "Maybe not. I think if I just bandage it well, it should heal nicely." Karai looked through the bowl, pulling out antibiotic ointment, rolls of gauze, and medical tape. She continued to sift through the supplies... "That's what I forgot: scissors. I'll be right back." She stood and went back into the kitchen.

"I know I had some earlier...where did I put them?" she whispered to herself, looking through the med kit and bag and examining the supplies on the tabletop. Leo's belt and sheathed katana lay nearby; she lifted them gingerly and found what she sought beneath them. She grasped the scissors, gently placed the weapon and sheaths back upon the table, and turned to leave, when something caught her eye; a color she hadn't noticed before in the pitch-black traproom or dimly lit sewers. It was crimson – something crimson, nestled snugly against the bright scarlet and gold leather wrappings of Leo's remaining katana. _His other sword is lost somewhere beneath that fallen stage..._ She turned back to the sheaths and pulled them apart slightly for a better look.

In the living room, Leo heard a gasp come from the kitchen. "Karai...you okay in there?" he called to her, immediately sitting up straighter and listening keenly for her response. Seconds later she appeared in the doorway, holding a slender object in her hands. "My tanto!" she exclaimed. Her eyes sought his. "This can't be the one I had at the theater; I lost it under the rubble. This is...my _FIRST_ tanto, the one that I earned when I completed my training..."

"…And the one you saved my life with, the first night we met," Leo answered quietly.

Karai blinked, recalling the circumstances of that night. _The night that weed-mutant attacked… It disarmed and captured Leo, and probably would have killed him, until I threw him my sword so he could free and defend himself._ She looked over to him, astonished. "You kept it, all this time?" He said nothing; only nodded. She swallowed, unsure of what to think or say. Finally, she stepped into the room and uttered a single, hesitant, word: "Why?" Her eyes earnestly searched his face for an answer.

This time, Leo didn't stammer or blush. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees; his eyes, fiery in spite of their cool color, bored into her golden ones, and he gave an honest, straightforward, and unapologetic reply.

"...You know why."

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	6. Concede

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 **T** **MNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 6 – Concede**

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 **I do not own TMNT.**

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 **I am SO sorry it took me weeks to post this!**

 **It's been a busy month.**

 **Anyway, here it is at last!**

 **I SO hope you enjoy it!**

 **Please leave me a review to let me know what you think;**

 **I'm always interested in feedback of any kind!**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading!**

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"...You know why."

Karai froze. His words rang in her ears.

" _You know why."_

She inhaled.

 _...Yes, Leo. I know why._

 _But no, you can't look at me that way. You can't say the words I can see in your eyes._

 _I've never been good at making things...only breaking them. And sooner or later, Leo..._

 _...I will break you._

"Karai?"

Leo's voice snapped her back to reality. She blinked, glancing down at the blade still resting across her open hands. _What do I do now...?_ "Karai." She looked up again, seeing Leo's placid face. "Are you going to finish bandaging my arm, or what?"

Karai suddenly exhaled the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She hesitated. "...Sure."

She felt almost numb as she walked back to Leo, who was still seated on the couch, and knelt in front of him. Numbness was not what she expected to feel. _Am I in shock?_ she puzzled, fumbling for gauze and bandages. Karai looked at the cut in his arm, deep red surrounded by speckled green, and kept her eyes focused on the wound. Leo watched her silently; his eyes never once left her averted gaze.

She gently placed squares of gauze thickly coated with antibiotic ointment over the wound. _Don't look at him, Karai. You know what he'll say..._ She lifted a roll of gauze to his arm and slowly, carefully, began to wind it around his bicep, making sure the gauze squares were completely and evenly covered. Leo watched her intently. _Look at me, Karai..._ His gaze intensified with his thoughts. _Look at me!_ His heart thudded against his plastron. Her movements were measured and slow. It took every bit of her concentration to keep from looking at the warrior whose fierce gaze she could feel compelling her to acknowledge him.

 _No, Leo. Forget about me._

 _...Soon, I'll be gone._

With every second that passed, Karai's resolve grew stronger. _As soon as I'm done...I'm out of here. I have to leave._ Tears stung her eyes...she silently cursed them for betraying her. _I have to get away from him...before he gets killed trying to protect me._

"Karai."

His voice was so fervent, so full of emotion, she almost looked up, but fought the desire to give in. _Stop, Leo!_ She forcibly tore a piece of medical tape off the roll with her teeth – she'd left the scissors in the kitchen, again – and gently pressed it to the end of the gauze. Leo frowned when she blatantly ignored him. "Karai!" he whispered urgently. He could see the corners of her eyes glistening with tears.

Her left hand held his forearm to be sure he didn't move as she pressed the tape to the bandage on the back of his arm, smoothing it gently with her fingers. Her hands were warm, but somehow, her movements seemed to grow increasingly stiff as she finished. Leo's thoughts became panicked. _I'm losing her! She's about to leave!_ His muscles were so taut, he was so fearful of what he could feel coming, he began to shake. That tremor traveled into Karai's hands; she snatched them back from his arm as though they'd been burned. _STOP, Leo!_ She quickly placed all of the supplies back into the bowl and began to lift it, never once looking at Leo's face. _NO!_ he thought desperately. She was about to turn away.

Leo's right hand shot out and clasped her left elbow just before she began to rise from the floor. His grip was no longer gentle, but vise-like. He finally got his wish; Karai looked at him, but her face was furious. "Leo...let go of me." He'd never heard her sound so dangerous before. Her golden eyes were so wrathful, at any other time than this he might have felt obligated to comply simply to avoid being the object of her hatred and scorn. But this time, it was different, and he knew it. This time, it was all or nothing: he would finally make her understand, or he would lose her forever.

 _I WON'T lose._

Instead of obeying her command, Leo snatched her right hand away from the bowl and gripped it tight. Karai became enraged. "I'm warning you, Leo..." she snarled. "Let me go." Leo could feel the fear ebbing away from him. He met her gaze boldly.

 _Moment of truth, "fearless leader". Whatever happens...make her see._

"No, Karai." Leo was utterly serious, but he had never said her name with so much tenderness before. Karai blinked, then hissed. "Whatever you think you're doing...whatever you _think_ you feel...you're WRONG. _Do you hear me?!_ WRONG!"

Leo yanked her hand forward suddenly so he could grasp her right elbow as well. His grip was strong, but not painful; yet had she tried to remove his hands from her arms, she would have found them to be rock-hard and immovable. He wasn't going to budge even an inch and risk her flying out of his reach.

He pulled her slightly to her left to fully face him. His strikingly blue eyes pierced hers, unflinching. Karai's expression couldn't be more irate, but inside, she was quailing. _No!_ she thought, unable to look away from his gaze, and now trying to yank herself away from him. _No, Leo. You have to let me go._

"Karai," Leo said, his voice deep and solemn. "Karai...stop running from me."

She hesitated. His gaze intensified, his voice earnest. "You _know_ what's between us. I KNOW you know. Please...stop trying to hide from it. Stop trying to hide from me."

Her eyes grew wide with fear. She felt naked and vulnerable, seen far too clearly by those penetrating cobalt orbs. His hands shook her arms unintentionally as he spoke with the full force of his feelings for her. "Karai...I know you think you can run from me. I know you think you can leave and go where I'll never find you, and you'll be safe from me...from this."

 _It wasn't my safety I was thinking of, Leo..._

He unintentionally drew her a fraction of an inch closer to him. All he could see was her tiger-like eyes, her beautiful, bruised face... "The truth is, Karai, you _can't_ run from me. If you do, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find you." Hot tears slipped down her cheeks. " _Don't you understand_?" he pleaded. "Whether you want it or not makes no difference...my heart is already yours."

Karai shook her head. "No!" she cried. "You can't..."

"It's too late for me," Leo interrupted. "From the first night we met, it was already too late." Karai continued to shake her head in denial, tears now freely streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto her bare knees. Leo smiled sadly as he studied her face. "From that very first fight in the alley...all I've ever wanted is to be with you."

Her lips trembled. "Leo, stop," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I hurt everyone close to me." He shook his head, though she couldn't see it. "I've hurt you too much already. I can't...I can't..."

His hands slid up to her arms, clenching them at her sides. She opened her eyes when he spoke: "I don't care."

Her glittering eyes suddenly narrowed. "You should. Because at this rate, all I'm going to do for you is get you killed."

His tone sharpened. "You think that would hurt more than losing you?!" Karai blinked. "Are you seriously saying you'd rather die than live without me?" she asked in sarcastic disbelief. _She's getting her fire back,_ Leo thought, smiling in spite of himself. "That's _exactly_ what I'm saying."

She scoffed. "Of all the cliché, sappy, stupid things I've ever heard come out of your mouth, Leo, that one takes the..." Leo wasn't listening. He could tell that the angrier she became, the more fear she lost and the more will to fight she gained. He wasn't going to lose this one chance to show her that he meant every single thing he said...no matter how sappy, or cliché. He loved the fire in her, but it was a reckless flame, and if it grew strong enough, it would burn away all reason. He had to put it out before another second passed.

Karai never finished her sentence. He yanked her to his plastron, almost knocking the wind out of her; she was completely unarmored around Leo for the first time, and could feel every bit of the forcefulness he drove into her body. She tried to gasp, but something both firm, and delicious, was covering her mouth.

Karai exclaimed in surprise, but his mouth stifled her cry. Leo pressed his lips to hers with every ounce of the passion that was seething inside him, silently willing her to acknowledge its strength. Her eyes were wide with shock; his were closed tight. _I KNOW you feel what I do, Karai._

The air conditioner kicked on, causing the curtains to billow like waves; sunlight pouring through them washed across his face as though it was streaming through water, moving and splashing beautifully over his brilliant emerald skin. She sighed. _What IS the point of fighting, anyway? He is every bit as stubborn and persistent as I am...and I already know that he'll never let me go._ She couldn't help but admit to herself, at long last, the truth in what he'd said. Of course she had believed his confession; every single word. But she was scared. So scared of being seen, _really_ seen, for the first time, for who and what she was, and so afraid that if he truly saw her heart, he'd realize someday that she wasn't really worthy of him. _Because I already know I'm not._

Karai's charcoal-shadowed lids were just beginning to close when Leo pulled away. His eyes opened and stared keenly into hers; he was out of breath from the exertion of pouring his heart and soul into kissing her. She blinked; her mouth was agape, but no words came out. _What can I possibly say to this gorgeous, faithful...man...whom I have hurt in every possible way?_ Tears dripped from her eyelashes onto her damp cheeks, further stinging her scrapes and bruises.

 _She doesn't need to say a word,_ Leo smiled to himself. _I can tell...she finally gets it._ He leaned closer to her and kissed her tear-stained cheekbones. She closed her eyes at the tenderness of his touch, forcing more tears to fall to his lips. He rested his forehead softly against hers.

"Karai...I love you."

Her eyes fluttered open, her wet lashes brushing his skin, painting his chiseled cheekbones. Her chin trembled. "But...I..."

"It doesn't matter," he said sincerely. "I don't care. Whatever it is you think you've done, or might do, that could possibly turn me away – make me stop loving you – you're wrong. There's _nothing_ you could ever do that could make me hate you."

In the face of such unconditional love, her resolve broke at last; the thick walls she'd built up around her heart had become a dam, and it was finally crumbling to pieces, unleashing a torrent of heartache and loneliness that had been welling up for as long as she could remember. Karai sat back on her feet and covered her face with her hands, trying to stop the sobs that were shaking her uncontrollably. _I'm a mess. How can he love such a mess?!_ Strong hands wrapped around her slender biceps and brought her toward him; Leo moved to sit on the edge of the couch so he could pull her fully to his plastron and envelop her in his powerful arms. For the first time in her life, Karai hesitantly wrapped her arms around someone's shoulders and held on tight, knowing that, for once, she would not be turned away. The broken kunoichi, so strong and so fragile, clung to Leo for dear life and buried her face against his neck as she sobbed.

His arms, solid and safe, snaked around her waist and back and tightened securely. He turned his face toward her hair, inhaling her scent deeply and reveling in the soft strands that brushed against his cheek. "Karai?" he murmured. She said nothing, but her sobs grew quieter; he knew she was listening. "I will - _**NEVER**_ \- leave you," he said emphatically. She continued to cry, bathing his neck and shoulder with her tears, but he could feel her body relax slightly against his. _How long has she waited to feel this safe?!_ he scowled. _Her whole life?! I could KILL Shredder for doing this to her!_

Karai clutched Leo's shell; as her breathing slowed and her sobs dwindled, she began to trace the shapes and patterns etched into the calloused surface with her fingertips, finding it calmed her. She inhaled the scent of his freshly washed skin, musky and masculine - it was so familiar somehow, though she'd never been quite _this_ close to him before. No matter how long she wanted to be held, Leo never seemed to tire of holding her. Eventually, she took a deep, shuddering breath, and sighed. He could feel the tension draining from her frame as though, for the first time, she truly felt at peace.

"Leo...?" she said quietly against his neck.

He closed his eyes and smiled. "You're welcome."

She lifted her head, her eyes searching his. "How do you read my thoughts?"

His gaze was open and honest; he shrugged. "I _know_ you."

One corner of her mouth turned upward slightly as she brought her arms down to rest between them, her hands flat against his plastron. "But how do you know me so well, when I've always done my best to shut you out?"

Leo stared deeply into her honeyed orbs and slid his left hand up to the back of her soft neck, pulling her closer to him. "Because, Karai... I've _always_ loved you."

Karai's heart fluttered; her lips parted. Leo's eyes were aflame with ardor and affection for her, so strong the sight of it took her breath away. With agonizing deliberation he drew her to him until her bewitching, soft, cherry-red lips, trembling with anticipation, barely brushed against his. The air between them seemed to crackle with electricity.

The sparks flying between their gasping mouths suddenly ignited the need in Leo's eyes, turning it from a flicker to an inferno; every fiber of his being screamed for Karai. Months and months of longing and yearning for her erupted into the most fiery kiss either of them could have imagined. Their mouths crashed together; Karai moaned against the smooth lips that were masterfully ravishing hers. His arms were crushing her against his plastron; she could feel his hard, muscled thighs tense and pressing against the sides of her hips. With Leo sitting on the couch and Karai kneeling before him, he was positioned somewhat above her, and he deliberately tilted her head back and his to one side in order to kiss her more deeply.

Leo thought he might just die from the all-consuming pleasure of finally holding and kissing the woman he loved with everything he had. Despite her athleticism, her body felt surprisingly soft and feminine against his hard plastron and well-defined muscles. Her chest heaved against his with every panting breath she took. He could feel her heart pounding against him; he groaned into her mouth, which opened eagerly in response.

Leo hesitated before plunging his tongue feverishly into her warm, welcoming mouth. Her hands slid up beneath his arms to clench the back of his shell; he couldn't believe Karai was pulling herself into him even more as their tongues danced furiously together. Several tears trickled down to her jaw. This outpouring of his tremendous passion for her was overwhelming; she was shocked by the enormity of it. _Who knew that Leo - fearless leader, true warrior, goody-three-toes - had such a capacity to love? And..._ Her entire body shivered with the realization: ... _It's all for me._

At length, Leo reluctantly withdrew his tongue from the delectable recess of her mouth and began to nibble and pull on her lips with his, the bright crimson flesh deliciously plump and swollen from the violence of his kisses. He moaned, relishing the taste of her lips; she melted into his arms and leaned her head back, resting in his strong hands. Leo's lips traveled slowly to her chin, then down to her soft, white throat, which vibrated enticingly with every sound that emitted from it. The pulse in her neck throbbed against his mouth; his kisses traced the thrumming artery down to her collar bone and back up to her jaw. Karai's eyes were closed with complete trust.

Leo glanced to the side; he moved to gently kiss both of her bruised shoulders before tilting her head back up to his and pressing their lips together once more. He heavily drank her in, savoring her with all of his senses: her taste was addictive; her scent, sweet; her moans, maddening; her touch, exhilarating; and every time he opened his eyes to see her in his arms, his mind staggered with the realization that this beautiful, deadly woman was finally allowing him to love her.

Karai had never felt so energized and tranquil at the same time; her entire body was trembling as Leo hungrily devoured her mouth once more. He was so strong and powerful, in heart, mind, body, and soul – and love – the admiration, appretiation, and affection for him that had snuck into her heart the first time they met finally leaped out of hiding. _He's right,_ she admitted to herself, murmuring with satisfaction against his ravenous lips. _I HAVE always known what's between us; I just tried to bury it alive because...I was afraid._ She smiled serenely as Leo's mouth wandered from hers and planted kisses along her jaw. _It seems so silly now. What on earth was I afraid of? We've ALWAYS loved each other...and we always will._

When Leo finally pulled away and looked down at her, he smiled contentedly; eyes still closed, her face was radiant and peaceful, and her expression was one of bliss. He held his breath, wanting to let this lovely vision of Karai, swathed in filtered, golden light, and looking more happy and beautiful than he'd ever seen her before, engrave itself permanently into his memory.

"Leo?" Karai said quietly, disrupting his thoughts.

He leaned down to kiss her chin with unmistakable adoration. "Yes, Karai?"

She opened one eye. "...Don't you know what I'm thinking?"

Leo grinned. "I believe so, but...I'd still like to hear you say it."

Her eyelid closed and she smirked; he dragged his lips across hers; she gasped. "You're not letting me think, Leo..."

"Hmmm." He nuzzled and kissed her throat lovingly, murmuring against her porcelain skin. "Don't think about what to say, Karai...you already know."

Karai swallowed; he was right, but he was not making this easy for her. She took a deep breath, pressed a finger to his mouth to halt his kisses, and looked into his sapphire eyes.

"Leo, I...I...love you."

Leo thought his heart might burst with joy. He grinned stupidly from ear to ear; his lips irresistibly approached hers once more. "...I could get used to hearing that."

He relished the shiver that traveled up her spine, making her skin tingle and leaving goose-bumps in its wake. She brought her hands up to the back of his neck, whispering just before their lips reunited:

"...Likewise."

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(Author's note: Thank-you SO much for reading, and thanks to everyone that's left me a review! If you enjoyed this chapter, you might want to check back every now and then...I keep editing and revising it, trying to make it even better. Please let me know what you think! Now...where to go from here...? :) )


	7. Content

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 7 – Content**

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 **Sorry it's taken me so long to write this!**

 **Hope you like it :)**

 **Please let me know what you think in the comments!**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading!**

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Leo's face twitched.

Something soft was tickling his cheek…

 _What is that…? A cobweb? Thread? Hang on, I know…it's Mikey trying to get me to slap myself awake by dragging a piece of string over my face. …No, wait; can't be. It's too soft._

Leo blinked slowly. His eyelids were unusually heavy; he tried to remember what made him so tired that it felt nearly impossible to wake up from such deep slumber.

 _The theater. The fight. Karai…the stage. April's apartment. Couch. Kiss. Kissing Karai…_

…

 _I KISSED KARAI._

His eyes shot open, then downward. Strands of short, silky, black hair were clinging to his face and throat. Karai's head was tucked comfortably under Leo's chin. Her head lay upon his right bicep; her tranquil form, still fast asleep, was pressed back against his front. Still in shock, he perused with joyful disbelief every beautiful inch of her as she slept; the graceful curve of her cheekbone; the dark eyelashes that contrasted sharply with her ivory skin; the fresh, pink color of her lips, now kissed clean of lipstick; the strong, yet delicate lines of her arms, tucked against her chest; the womanly curves of her hips and the contours of her long, firm legs. Leo held his breath. _Can this be real…?_

His mind, still a bit foggy, ran back to the last thing he could remember before falling asleep. _Kissing Karai…_ His breath hitched. He remembered his head spinning as he tasted her lips for the first time. Karai kissing him back, and even pulling him closer. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Kissing her deeply until he was delirious, and they were both so exhausted from the fight, and the wounds, and the kiss that he had pulled her weary body, sapped of all strength, up onto the couch with him, where they both promptly fell over and passed out, side-by-side.

Leo could hardly breathe, being too scared of waking her to move a muscle. He still wasn't entirely sure this wasn't some unbelievable dream; it seemed impossible that this could be real. _If I am still dreaming…I hope I NEVER wake up from this._ He yawned. The rich, golden light of late evening was flooding the room through the curtains, bathing everything, including Karai, in liquid gold. He let out a sigh of deep contentment as his eyelids slowly closed.

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Karai was running through a jungle.

Ducking under branches, dodging around brush, leaping over giant roots and fallen trees…she felt as agile, sleek, and dark as a panther. Her black bodysuit blended beautifully with the gloom of the shaded jungle floor. She felt exhilarated, alive…alone.

Glancing over her shoulder, she suddenly sensed a…presence. She ran faster. Whatever was following her, she felt that she'd rather _be_ alone than come face-to-face with it. Karai took to the trees, springing from limb to limb, climbing higher and higher. Her amber eyes began to dart wildly from shadow to shadow on the ground below. _Something IS there… I can feel it._

Her feet padded softly along the top of a huge, twisted branch that jutted out from an enormous trunk. _I can get away. I can do this._ A thick, long vine hung several yards away from the end of the branch. Her eyes narrowed with determination. _I can reach it._ A glint of silver in the shadows caught her eye. _What was that…?_ She was tempted to stop and search for the light's source, but resisted warily and ran on.

Karai was nearing the end of the branch; she prepared to leap. This time, the glint became a blinding flash, the direct reflection of a bright, full moonbeam bouncing off of polished metal and into her eyes. She stumbled and cried out as her feet left the branch, reaching as far as she could for the tendril dangling from the treetop before her. _I can make it. I can make it…!_

Karai let out a cry of excruciating pain and sheer terror: a hand, merciless in its grip, had caught her by the ankle, and was viciously squeezing, yanking, and scratching at her as it pulled her down into the blackness. She looked down, and screamed. The hand was covered in armor and blades, and dripping with crimson streams of her own blood. "NO! PLEASE, NO!" She begged for her release, but the cruel hand continued relentlessly in its savage purpose. The sound of metal scraping metal grew louder with every inch of her descent – knives, being sharpened for the slaughter. Her own screams couldn't drown it out.

In a last effort to find some means of escape, Karai looked up into the ceiling of leaves. Moonlight was streaming through them, causing them to glow a beautiful shade of translucent blue-green. Despite her pain and fear, the color calmed her. Silver moonbeams pierced through the holes in the canopy like steel blades gripped between green fingers. The sight seemed familiar, somehow…

Karai gasped. Her golden irises darted to and fro, taking in her surroundings with panicked urgency. Ceiling…lamp…curtains…window…moonbeams making patterns on the rug. She blinked. _Where am I…?_

She tried to sit up, but found she was restrained. Panic began to well up in her again, the memory of that cruel hand still far too fresh in her mind, until she glanced down and saw what was imprisoning her: arms that were thick, muscular, remarkably strong, and…green.

 _Leo_.

Immediately her breathing slowed, and the fear gripping her heart let go. Karai took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _Leo_. As if she had said his name out loud, his arms tightened around her even more protectively, gripping her to his hard plastron. With eyes still closed, he tucked his face into the nape of her neck and inhaled deeply, nuzzling her skin in his sleep, and exhaling with an elated sigh. Karai relaxed somewhat, closing her eyes and resting her head back upon his bicep. A peaceful smile spread across her lips. _Leo doesn't even have to be awake to protect me…cherish me. He holds me like a treasure he's afraid he could lose if he lets it out of his sight._ She smirked. _Can't say I blame him for wanting to make sure he knows where I am, even in his sleep; I can be so…elusive…_

The moon was now angled perfectly to shine unto the couch where they lay. Karai thoughtfully watched the beams filter through the curtains as she remembered her nightmare – what had ended it – and what had come before they fell asleep. She bit her bottom lip and shivered. They had kissed each other with everything they had, until they had no strength left. She murmured happily at the memory. She had never dared to imagine she'd find a love so strong, so deep, and so pure.

 _Until I met him. Hamato Leonardo._

Karai reached up to his arms and pulled them around her even tighter. _Don't let me go, Leo. Even if I fight against you, push you away…NEVER let me go. Your arms are the only place I feel safe. I know I'm dangerous, and a pain, and I don't deserve you, but…you'll never know just how much I need you. Don't ever leave me…_ A tear cascaded down her cheek and dripped onto his emerald-green skin. Leo murmured in his sleep: "Mmm…Karai. …Love you…"

Karai grinned, and whispered, "I love you, Leo," as she closed her eyes.

And for the first time in a long time, Karai slept without fear.

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(Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I have NO idea where the story is going to go from here, lol. I guess we'll all have to wait and see, eh? Let me know what you think! Thanks again!)


	8. Caught

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 8 – Caught**

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 **Please share your thoughts with me on the direction**

 **this is taking; I'm curious to know what you think!**

 **All feedback is appreciated.**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading!**

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Silver light danced across the two faces, peaceful and carefree in sleep. Clouds occasionally creeping in front of the moon cast the room into darkness before receding and allowing the soft beams to penetrate the gloom. The sheer curtains began to billow like waves once more as the heater kicked on, chasing away the brisk night.

The moon was slowly sinking behind the jagged skyline of buildings and water towers when a silhouette rose against its light. It stood resolute for a moment, watching, waiting, before leaping from the roof across the street and landing with a silent somersault upon April's building. It avoided the light, slipping from shadow to shadow, until it dropped quickly to the fire escape balcony outside April's bedroom window. A hand pushed it open with a soft creak and slipped inside, reaching out to close the window with a click.

No footfalls could be heard as the figure, ensconced in blackness, stepped carefully down the short hallway toward the living room. It paused in the doorway and seemed to be studying the sleeping pair, considering its next move with slow, silent deliberation, and watching for any movement within the chamber.

Some minutes later, it crouched and moved into the room, slinking along the walls until it arrived at the side of the couch. As it gradually rose to stand near Leo and Karai's heads, an arm reached to its back and pulled a long spear over one shoulder. Both hands grasped the narrow wooden shaft and raised it overhead, the last glimmer of moonlight glinting off the downward-pointing silver blade before the hands brought the spear down in the blink of an eye.

Leo's skin tingled with anticipation; the sudden movement of air alerted all his senses and he awoke with a start, glancing up toward the perceived threat. He found he was staring at a razor-sharp blade suspended no more than a centimeter above his face. His eyes went wide. _I know that weapon._

"Wakey, wakey."

Donatello's whispered voice came from the shadows above. Leo's eyes focused on the green hands holding the staff. "Donnie…what're you _doing_ here?" he hissed under his breath.

"I could ask you the same thing…and then some." Donnie raised his weapon, retracted the blade, and replaced it on his back. Leo frowned. _This is NOT how I wanted my brothers to find out about…us._ Had circumstances been less grave, he could have rejoiced at the thought of finally having Karai on, and at, his side. But this was no time for exultation. As slowly as he could, he began to slide his right arm out from under Karai's head and sit up, careful not to shift his weight any more than necessary. Karai was an extremely skilled kunoichi, after all, and he guessed it would take almost nothing to awaken her. Making sure the cushion he'd been using as a pillow was now positioned where his arm had been to support her head, he reached one leg, then the other, up and over her exhausted limbs and stood up straight beside the couch. Taking a lingering look at Karai, he nodded his head toward the kitchen and left the room; Donnie followed.

The two ninja stopped in the darkness and turned to face one another. For several seconds, neither spoke a word. Finally, Leo broke the silence. "When did you find…"

"About an hour ago." Donnie's voice was surprisingly serious. Leo had expected anger, disbelief, or ridicule, but not the solemn tone he heard now. He took a deep breath. "Why…"

"We were worried, of course. You've been gone over 24 hours, and you never checked in."

Leo nodded.

Donnie's mind was calm now, but when he had first discovered Leo and Karai, he had been a wreck. And not just because he had seen an injured, bandaged Leo sleeping on the couch with a scraped, bruised Karai in his arms. He had questions, of course; why did Leo leave in the first place? Where exactly had he gone? Did he arrange to meet Karai, or was that by happenstance? Who caused his injuries, and hers? How did they end up here, at April's place? And, above all, why were they holding each other, asleep?

It was this last question that had really sent Donnie's mind reeling. He had been peering through his spyglass into April's living room; the heater had blown the curtains apart by only a few inches, but he could see plenty. Two bodies - one pale, the other green - lying together, dead to the world. His heart had wrenched painfully at the sight. How many times had he envisioned that very scene, only with April in his own arms? The very first time he laid eyes on April he was smitten to the core. His greatest wish in life was to win her heart, the way she had unwittingly captured his. Shouldn't he have been the first one to get to fall asleep beside the girl of his dreams? Leo was in love with the young woman raised by their greatest enemy, and yet there he was, embracing her and grinning happily in his sleep. _It just isn't fair._

Donnie had watched them for over an hour before making up his mind to confront Leo. The initial anger, confusion, and injustice he had felt had subsided and finally given way to despondent acceptance. After all, Karai really was Splinter's daughter; maybe Leo had convinced her of the truth, and she was on their side now. He couldn't really resent his brother for getting with his crush if that was the case. And it was no use blaming Leo for April's hesitance to return his affection. Hate it as he may, he couldn't begrudge Leo his good fortune. Envying his brother's situation wasn't going help him get any closer to April.

Donnie took a deep breath. "You wanna tell me what's been going on here?"

Leo hesitated. _Probably not a good idea to tell him that Karai was trying to sever my head from my shoulders before the stage collapsed…_ "Karai and I ran into each other in an abandoned theater," he whispered. "We were sparring beneath the stage when it caved in on us." Donnie looked surprised. "I had a shard of wood stuck in my shell, so we came here and used April's medical supplies to patch me up. Karai insisted on helping me," he added quickly. He waited for Donnie's reaction, uncertain of how he'd respond.

"Well," Donnie answered at last, "I hope she did a good job on your shell. You know how nasty those infections can get."

Leo let out his breath. _He's taking this a lot better than I expected. Much better than Raph would, that's for sure._ "So, you're not…mad…?" he asked hesitantly. _I'm sure of what I'm doing, trusting Karai, but I'd much rather my brothers understand and support me than fight against me. Either way…I'm GOING to be with her. NO one is going to take her away from me again._

Donnie shrugged. "I'm mad that you didn't tell us where you were, letting us think Shredder had captured you, or worse, but…I guess you know what you're doing." His tone implied that he _hoped_ , rather than believed, Leo had been thinking with a clear head when it came to Karai. Leo nodded. "Where's everyone else?"

"We split up to look for you. I was the only one who thought you might be here. Speaking of which, whoever found you was supposed to let the others know…"

"No!" Leo whispered urgently. "Not yet. Please. Let me talk to Karai first. She might be willing to come home with me – us – to Splinter. I don't know if she completely believes me, yet, but I think she's starting to see the truth about Shredder."

Donnie's whispers became irate. "You mean you don't even know if she believes the truth yet?!" he hissed. "How can you trust her when she still believes she's the enemy's daughter? You don't even know whose side she's on!"

Leo clenched his fists. "I DO know whose side she's on – she's on OUR side. And when I say "our", I mean hers and mine. She and I – we're together now."

Donnie couldn't believe his ears. "So, what, you're not a part of the team anymore?! It's you and Karai against the world? Against your own FAMILY?!"

Leo shook his head. "No, I haven't turned against you and the guys, or Splinter, and I'm definitely NOT on Shredders side. But look, Donnie. You of all people should understand. What if April told you she wasn't ready to join our family yet, but she DID want to be with YOU? What would you do? Would you tell her no? …Well? Would you?" he added when Donnie didn't reply.

 _What WOULD I do?_ he thought to himself. _If I finally had the chance to be with April, know she truly loved me back, but she wanted to…I don't know, leave New York to move to Europe, or stop training to be a kunoichi and leave this world of ninjutsu and violence and living in the shadows behind, what would I say? Would I refuse to be with her? …No. I wouldn't even have to think. For her love…I'd do anything. I'd forsake everyone and everything else if I knew she'd be mine._ Donnie begrudgingly straightened his shoulders and looked into his brother's shadowed, mask-less face. "I guess I do understand."

Leo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Don-"

"But don't expect the others to," he interrupted, "Especially Raph. And I can only buy you so much time. You'd better get home quickly, before he tears this entire city apart looking for you. He's trying not to show it, but he's getting really worried."

Leo nodded, and held out his right hand. "Got it. I'll be back before dawn. And…thanks, Donnie. Seriously."

Donnie reluctantly returned his brother's grip. _I hate lying to everyone for him, but…_ "I know you'd do the same for me." Their fingers slid apart, then fist bumped; a moment later, Donnie had vanished. Leo stood alone in the kitchen, deep in thought.

…

 _He always thinks he's so slick,_ Karai thought as Leo moved over her, got off the couch, and went into the kitchen. Never opening her eyes, she rolled onto her back and continued to breathe evenly, feigning deep slumber. Her ears strained to catch the hushed conversation taking place in the next room.

 _So…_ she mused, listening to Leo's defense for being with her, _He's finally ready to leave everything else behind._ It was difficult not to smile. _I've wanted Leo and me to be a team since the first time I saw him fight. I didn't know just how much more there was between us, until today, but…_ _I finally have the friend, and partner, I've always wanted._ Her ears perked as the subject turned to her being Splinter's daughter. She frowned. _They really DO believe it..._

Donnie reentered the room without a sound, but she sensed him, and felt the darkness around her deepen as his dim shadow passed over her motionless body. After he went by she rolled onto her left side, facing the back of the couch, and murmured. If Shredder had taught her anything well, it was how to give a realistic performance. Donnie paused in the doorway. She yawned.

Soon he was gone, but Leo had yet to return. _What's he still doing in the kitchen?_ she wondered. _Should I go check on him? Or does he want to be alone…?_ Still debating what she should do, Karai heard Leo's soft footsteps approach across the carpeted room and stop behind her. She slightly nuzzled the cushion serving as her pillow; he squatted down behind her and gingerly brushed her hair back from her face. The room was much darker now that the moon had set, but he couldn't help studying her features. _I am making the right choice…aren't I? I know what the others would say, but…_

Leo didn't know what hit him. One second, he was staring at the side of her sleeping face; the next, he was being flipped over her body and shoved onto the couch on his back with Karai straddling his plastron and pinning his arms and legs. He was too stunned to feel the throbbing pain coming from the wound in his shell. Karai was grinning and gazing down at him intently.

"So…we're teammates now?"

Leo blinked. "You were listening?"

She smirked in response.

The corner of Leo's mouth turned upward. "You heard what I said…apparently."

Her smile softened. "You trust me?"

Leo didn't blink, didn't hesitate. "With my life."

Both their expressions became gravely serious, caramel and cobalt eyes boring into each other. Before they met, Karai had never wanted to be trusted by someone so badly; Leo had never been so eager to give his trust. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the stark white bandage wrapped around Leo's arm. Recent memory startled Karai into reluctance. "After everything I've done to you," she said simply.

Leo's hands suddenly swiped hers off his arms and gripped her elbows, twisting his body while pushing her to the side so that their positions were switched. She lay on her back, arms held over her head, while Leo pinned her with his body weight and locked her eyes with his powerful gaze. _You were confused, and angry last night,_ he thought as he looked down at her, _And with good reason._ _I don't blame you for anything you've done to me. You were raised to be evil, but your heart is good. It's no wonder you're so conflicted about what to do…who to choose._ He knew it would be pointless to try to tell her these things. Karai wasn't the kind to talk about her feelings, or spill her guts about her past… _There's no way I can convince her that I really do believe in her. That she IS a good person._

Karai arched a brow, bringing Leo out of his thoughts. "Are you going to kiss me, or what?"

Leo smirked. "If you want me to."

Karai's expression softened. No one had ever cared so much about what _she_ wanted. She smiled – a rare, genuine, sweet smile that Leo had never seen before. He tried to look tough on the outside, but inwardly, his heart was melting.

"Well? What're you waiting f-" Leo needed no further encouragement; his lips captured hers instantly. Earlier, their pent up passion had erupted into a flood of fiery kisses; this time, however, Leo was unhurried, kissing Karai with slow deliberation. He seemed determined to explore and study every inch of her lips, committing their texture, taste, and touch to memory. _So long as I live,_ he resolved, _NO one can take this away from me._

Karai sighed, allowing Leo to kiss her thoroughly. For once, she was content to follow his lead, letting him take his time and savor every moment their lips were joined. _I'd be lying to myself if I said I wasn't enjoying this every bit as much as he is._ Eventually he released her arms and slid one hand behind her head, the other beneath her back. She brought her arms down over his shoulders and, pressing her hands to his shell, pulled him even closer.

As the night wore on, neither seemed willing to halt the other's kisses, but finally, Leo whispered against the lips he was so reluctant to be parted from, "...Come with me."

Karai's eyes fluttered open. "...You mean…"

"Home." He pressed his lips to hers, not wasting a second while awaiting her answer. _Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes…_

Karai stiffened in his arms. Leo kissed her even more tenderly, wordlessly pleading with her to trust him. Her mind raced. _He wants me to go with him. To HIS home. To his brothers, who don't trust me. To his sensei, my sworn enemy, who has lied about me, about who I really am. I think. Heck, I don't know what to think! I know I can trust Leo – he would never purposely put me in harm's way. Last night proves that. He would never reveal his home to me if he didn't truly, fully trust me, and he wouldn't lead me there if it was actually a trap. But what if Shredder found out? He wants to know the location – what exactly would he do to me if he found out I knew where it was? Give me some kind of truth serum? Use mind control? Would he actually…torture me? His own daughter? I know he can be the MOST dangerous towards the people closest to him, but…would he go that far? What will he do if I DON'T go home, to him? He probably already has the city crawling with Footbots, looking for me…I could walk straight into a battle as soon as I step foot outside this place…_

Karai felt Leo's lips gently free hers. Her brow was furrowed with concentration, her eyes closed. Leo frowned, watching her inner turmoil surface through her expressions. "Karai…it's okay. I won't force you to come with me. Whatever you decide to do, I'll have your back."

Karai looked up at him suddenly. Leo wasn't entirely sure what she was thinking right then, but one thing he knew for certain: _She believes me! I've finally gained her trust._ "Look…" he said softly. "I don't know what's going to happen when we get out of here, Karai. I can't make _many_ promises, but I _can_ promise you this: that if you come home with me, no harm will come to you there. Not by the hand of any member of my family – and that includes April." Her face was unreadable for some time. Leo held her gaze, and his breath.

" _Fine_ ," Karai snapped, as if Leo had twisted her arm to get her to agree. He was taken aback. "You don't _have_ to, you know…"

"I said fine!" she retorted. "There's nowhere else for us to go, anyway. And we can't stay in this stupid apartment forever." She looked out the window and let her arms fall from his shoulders to her sides. Leo's confusion subsided. _I understand. This is hard for her. It's like coming with me, to meet Splinter, is admitting to herself that there's a chance he could be her real father – a chance that she's been used and lied to her entire life. That can't be an easy thing to acknowledge._ He nodded. She scowled and pushed him aside without warning. "Let's get this over with." Before he knew it, she was off the couch, down the hall, and closing the bathroom door.

Karai picked up her torn body suit and angrily began brushing the dust and splinters from it, shaking as much debris as possible off into the bathtub. "How am I supposed to hide in this thing?" she grumbled under her breath. There was still a good deal of white plaster dust sticking to the black fabric, but there was only so much she could do. She slipped it on quickly, then began fastening on each piece of her armor with expert precision. Strapping her sheath to the back of her waist, she opened the door to find Leo waiting. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" He motioned to the elbow and knee pads and cloth wrappings on the bathroom floor, as well as the well-worn blue mask lying on the counter. She followed his gaze. "Fine. Just hurry up." She pushed past him into the hall.

Within ten minutes they were ready to leave, having cleaned up everything they'd used and finished dressing for battle. Leo, masked and armed once more, stood near the window above the fire escape. Glancing at Karai, he pushed the glass open and cleared his throat nervously. "Ahem…Karai? Are you ready?"

Karai was meticulously inspecting the edge of her tanto's blade. She pretended not to hear him. When Leo calmly repeated the question, she blurted out, "You do realize that if I go with you now…if Shredder finds out…I may never be able to go home again? To MY home?" Her eyes met his: they were tinged with fear, and sadness. They were both aware of what the Shredder was capable, but Karai even more so. Leo met her gaze evenly as he tried to find words that could bring her any sort of comfort, or alleviate any of the pain he could see in her eyes. All he could think to do at first was take her hand and hold it firmly.

"Karai," he said at last, "Whatever happens – no matter who turns against us – I'll _never_ shut you out. You'll ALWAYS have a place…with me." Her lips pursed into a straight line, but she gave a nearly imperceptible nod and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Let's go, Leo."

He nodded, releasing her hand as he slipped out the window; Karai sheathed her sword and followed on his heels. Leo swiftly led her over the rooftops of several city blocks. They were still sore, and tired, but years of training taught them to ignore the pain and fatigue, and press on. They were only one block away from the manhole Leo sought, which would grant them access to the most direct route through the sewers to the lair.

Sprinting across one particular rooftop lined with billboards on all sides, the hair on the back of Karai's neck began to stand on end. Her eyes darted from billboard to billboard, shadow to shadow. _Something's not right…_ She glanced at Leo, and found he was scanning the same spots intently. His eyes cut over to hers, and they nodded to each other. _It's a trap._ Karai and Leo's right hands went straight to their sword hilts; she continued to watch the shadows to their left, and he the shadows to their right. Their pace never slowed.

Four dark shapes suddenly appeared before them; the ninja couple froze. Glowing red eyes, and four arms apiece, quickly identified their assailants as Footbots. _I was right._ Karai unsheathed her tanto and held it before her with both hands. _I knew Father wasn't going to let me be gone this long without sending a search party…or worse._ As they looked around the rooftop, several dozen more of the robotic ninja appeared, crawling out of shadows, dropping down from billboards, and jumping out from behind AC units. Leo drew his sword and moved toward Karai until they stood back-to-back. They were both excellent warriors, expert fighters, but this… "There are so many...they just keep coming!" Karai whispered over her shoulder.

"I know." Leo grimaced. He had expected some resistance from the Shredder, eventually, but hadn't thought it would come so swiftly. _Does he already know about us…?_ Leo wondered. _If so, how?!_

The Footbots closed in one step at a time, tightening the circle around them like a noose. Leo and Karai's eyes glanced to and fro, trying to catch sight of incoming attacks that could come from any direction. _If we get out of this one alive,_ Karai brooded, _It'll be a miracle._ One particular bot, holding a mace in one hand and a long chain in the other, stepped closer than the rest. It delivered a message that had clearly been programmed into it by a Kraang working for Shredder: "We are the ones that work for Shredder who are the ones who will be killing you now. All traitors must be destroyed!" Karai's blood froze.

A large cloud of black and purple smoke appeared between the messenger bot and the surrounded pair of ninja. When it cleared, Donnie, Raph, and Mikey stood with their backs to Leo and Karai, facing the imminent onslaught of Footbots. Raph glowered over his shoulder at Leo, then back to the messenger.

"You can try…but _you_ won't get to kill him if _I KILL HIM FIRST!"_

…

…

…

…


	9. Crossed

**.**

 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 9 - Crossed**

 **...**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

Shredder's fingers curled over the edges of his dark throne's arms.

"What are you saying?"

Bradford and Xever knelt on the floor before him, warily watching their master.

"All we are saying is that…there might be the possibility, Master, of…"

"Karai might be turning against you," Bradford cut in, casting a sideways glance at his nervous, aquatic co-informant. "We followed her last night…she ran into that turtle, Leonardo. They fought, but she wasn't very aggressive... It was more of a sparring match. We couldn't hear what they said, but they seemed to be…ahem…flirting the whole time. After, they went their separate ways. She's not even _trying_ to capture or kill him."

Shredder's eyes narrowed. "My daughter is highly skilled in the art of deception. What looked like flirting to you may have been Karai setting up a silk trap for the leader of the turtles."

"Of course, Master Shredder. But…isn't there at least a _chance_ that she's being disloyal to you? Wouldn't she _want_ to tell you if this was all just part of a plan to gain the turtle's trust?"

Shredder said nothing, but fixed his cohorts with his steely gaze.

"My apologies, Master," Xever said at last, bowing his face to the floor. "We were mistaken. With your permission, we will check on Stockman's progress." The fish and dog mutants arose (Bradford quite reluctantly), bowed, and headed for the door.

"Stop." Shredder's deep voice echoed in the chamber. Xever and Bradford stopped in their tracks and turned back toward the throne. Their leader stood and slowly descended the steps to approach the uneasy pair; they silently hoped they hadn't earned a thrashing by accusing Shredder's own daughter of disloyalty to him.

Shredder halted and stared both mutants down until they each averted their gaze in turn. When he finally spoke, his tone was cool and calculated. "…You will continue to follow Karai. You will NEVER let her become aware of your presence. You will report her every move to me. If she is playing the turtle for a fool, she will be rewarded when she delivers him, or his master, to me." His voice, and gaze, sharpened. "…If she is not, I will eventually find out, and the consequences of her treachery will be dire. In either case, her frequent contact with Leonardo could prove very useful. She could lead us to Splinter, whether she means to or not."

Shredder turned and walked back to his throne. "My plans for revenge on Splinter are unchanged…but I may have to alter Karai's part in those plans." He turned and sat. "Do not give Karai ANY reason to believe you suspect her. Follow her orders as though they were mine…for now." Bradford and Xever bowed their heads, spun on their heels, and quietly left. Shredder sat, rigid and brooding, for hours.

 _...There is much to consider if what they suggest proves to be true._

…

"Well? What have you learned?"

It had been several months since Bradford and Xever first brought Karai's rendezvous with Leo to his attention. They stood at the bottom of the steps leading to Shredder's throne, bowing their heads in shame. "Our apologies, master, but…she gave us the slip last night – again."

Shredder peered down at them with profound displeasure. "I thought I made it _very_ clear you were to give her _no_ indication she was being followed!"

"We haven't, Master! I swear it!" Xever exclaimed.

"She _can't_ know we've been tailing her." Bradford affirmed. "We've tried watching her from a distance, even blocks away; monitoring her movements throughout the city using a broad net of surveillance bots; but…she is _your_ daughter. She's grown more and more evasive as the weeks go by. She is patient, and crafty, and seems like she doesn't even trust her own shadow. She might double back three times just to move forward a single city block. …You taught her well." Shredder felt a spark of fatherly pride ignite his heart. _That's my girl._ He sat silent, deep in thought, while the seconds ticked by; at last he spoke.

"…I believe I know who can solve this dilemma."

…

 _I'm so under appreciated._

Baxter Stockman placed his glasses on the lab table and rubbed his eyes. _Shredder and the others have no IDEA the kind of genius they're wasting down here in this basement laboratory._ He scoffed. _At least, sometimes, I'm able to really flex my superior brain and produce something worthy of the Nobel – if only the world KNEW about the kinds of innovations I'm creating here._ He gritted his teeth, slamming his fists on the table and causing the microscope, vials, and papers in front of him to jump at the impact. _Shredder is squandering my talent on mere weapons and mutants!_

"Something on your mind, Stockman?"

At the deep, hated voice of his dreaded boss, he froze. "He-hey, Master Shredder! H-how long've you been, ah, standing th-"

"Are you finished yet?" The hulking ninja moved closer to the stammering scientist and peered over his shoulder. His mere presence was enough to unnerve Stockman and turn him into a pile of quaking guts. In his nervousness, he nearly knocked over a beaker filled with a silver liquid that strongly resembled mercury, but caught it just in time. "W-with what, sir? Oh, you mean the tracking device for the turtles? I _think_ it's ready. I just need to run a few more tests…"

"Is it safe?" Shredder interjected. Stockman blinked.

"…Well, um, I haven't really been paying much attention to its long-term safety, since you were planning to use it on your enemies… It certainly wouldn't hurt them before it could tell us the exact location of their lair…"

"You _must_ ensure its safety. I have a different test subject in mind for this new invention of yours, but it is one I will not risk unnecessarily."

Baxter looked perplexed. "O-of course… It will take a little longer to be _sure_ , but…"

"You have three days." Stockman opened his mouth to protest, but Shredder was already striding toward the door. He thought better of it and snapped his mouth shut as the door swung closed behind the deadly ninja. "Of course, _sir_. Whatever you say, _sir_ ," Baxter cowered mockingly, replacing his glasses on his face. Turning back to his microscope, he removed the slide he had been examining prior to Shredder's startling entrance and wrote, with permanent marker, upon its side: NB13.

…

Karai peered over her shoulder at the dozen Foot-bots approaching her from behind. Her eyes narrowed. Her tanto was held at the ready.

"Begin." Shredder's voice boomed. The robotic ninja attacked.

Karai's muscles tensed; she awaited their approach with nerves of steel. At the last moment, she ducked, and two swords and one mace clashed into each other where her head should've been. _Slice._ Her blade cut through the robots like butter; six halves clattered to the floor. With one leg extended, she spun and swept two more off their feet, and leaping high into the air as more approached, she expertly flung two spiked stars into their prostrate heads. They exploded as the feet of their counterparts ran past.

Karai flipped her sword so that it pointed downward and gripped it with both hands. She landed nimbly on the head of the nearest Foot-bot, driving her blade between her feet and into its metallic skull as it crumpled beneath her. She yanked her blade free and stood, waiting; the six remaining bots began to circle her cautiously, carefully computing how best to bring down the deadly kunoichi. Suddenly, they all froze; Karai twitched at the unexpected halt.

The three who stood behind her sprang into action. They interwove their paths as they closed in so that she was forced to face them, focusing on which one was nearest or might attack first. While two criss-crossed in front of her, the third leaped over them with its sword held above its head. She raised her sword and blocked the blow as it came crashing down at her. The resulting clang reverberated in the chamber.

"Ow!" Karai exclaimed. It felt like something stung her on the neck as her muscles trembled with effort, her sword still locked with that of the Foot-bot bearing down on her. Her eyes went wide with fear and cut over to where Shredder stood stoically watching the spar. "Father...?" Her voice quivered. _He wouldn't...would he...?!_

"Enough!" Shredder commanded. Instantly the bots lowered their weapons, turned toward him, and bowed. Karai reached up to her neck and felt, between her jaw and the high collar of her body suit, a small, tufted dart. She pulled it free from her skin. A sideways glance at the motionless bots quickly showed her which was holding a blowgun. Karai looked to Shredder with shock and disbelief.

"Relax, my child," he said calmly. "It's only water."

Karai shivered. Her neck felt cold where the dart had struck, the same way fluid from an IV tube had chilled her arm in past trips to the hospital (being a ninja was not without risk to life and limb, after all). She tried to calm her nerves, but continued to watch her father doubtfully. "...But why...?"

He clasped his hands behind his back. "Because you know as well as I do that the swiftest death can come from the most miniscule grain of poison. You must _never_ give the enemy an opportunity to strike you, no matter how small."

She hesitated. "...Yes, Father."

"Now...finish what you began."

She nodded. The bots raised their weapons. They pounced: she sliced through each in turn; but during the fight, her heart and mind wouldn't stop racing. _Have I done something...?_ she wondered. _Given him reason to be angry with me...? I know I haven't delivered Splinter to him, yet, but...did he just poison me?!_ It was difficult to concentrate with so many thoughts tumbling in her head, yet with automatic precision, she drove her tanto into the face of the last bot standing. She pulled her sword free from the sparking machine, sheathed the blade, and bowed toward her father.

"Well done, daughter." He moved to her and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. She looked up into his shielded face. "...Remember the lesson you learned here today, Karai. You can never be too cautious when dealing with enemies as treacherous as Hamato Yoshi." She gave a respectful nod. As he turned to leave the room, she watched his back closely. Her fingertips gingerly brushed over the tiny, raised mark the dart had left in her neck.

 _He's not the only one I need to wary of...Father._

…

Oroku Saki's quiet breaths resounded within his helmet and filled his ears. He sat upon his throne, alone, lost in the memory of his former life. _There was a time,_ he thought, _when I was not forced to hide behind walls, and shadows, and the Kuro Kabuto._ His brow creased. _When I thought I had a friend as close as a brother...and a chance for love._

He closed his eyes. _Tang Shen: the most beautiful girl in our village...in my eyes, she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Of course, Yoshi felt the same way._ He scowled. _I'll never forgive him..._

In his mind's eye, he saw a wooden door before him, surrounded by plain walls. He raised his fist and knocked on the door. Soft footsteps within grew louder, and the door opened a crack. "Saki!" exclaimed a melodious voice, and the door opened wide. There she stood, wearing a faded-blue, cotton kimono, her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. Her dark eyes sparkled in the late-afternoon sunlight streaming into the doorway. Saki expected her to be happy to see him, and while she did smile, he thought he could see a hint of sadness, or perhaps regret, in her eyes. _It's nothing,_ he assured himself. _After all, her mother has been sick lately, and she has had extra work to do. She's probably just tired._ "Good afternoon, Shen." They bowed politely to one another. "Will you join me for a walk?"

She bit her lip. "Saki, I...I'm sorry, but..." Her voice trailed off. He frowned.

"Your mother...is she getting worse? Do you need to stay and attend to her?"

Shen shook her head and looked down. "No, it's not that; she's actually doing a little better..."

"I'm glad to hear it."

She looked back into his eyes. "Saki, I...I've known you for a long time, but..."

His breath caught in his chest. _No._ "But..."

She took a deep breath. "...but I'm with Yoshi now."

His heart stopped. "I see."

"And...it's serious." Her eyes were full of sympathy. "We haven't made a formal announcement yet, but we...we wish to marry. Soon."

Saki's fists clenched until they were white. His shoulders shook with adrenaline at the sudden onset of his anger. He could barely contain his rage, despising the pity he saw in her eyes. "What did my 'brother'," he spat sarcastically, "Say to convince you to choose him over me?"

She blinked. "Nothing, Saki. He didn't have to convince me..."

He growled. "How could he trick..."

"There was no trick," Shen replied with sudden certainty. "He did not stab you in the back, Saki. He would never do that. It just...happened. We fell in love."

Saki thought his insides might explode. His vision swam red, and all he could think was: _If it takes the rest of my life, I swear...I will get my revenge on Hamato Yoshi. The only two things I care about are rebuilding the Foot Clan, and Tang Shen; now he has torn away half of my heart._ "Thank-you for explaining," he said through clenched teeth, bowing low to Shen. "Good afternoon." He turned stiffly and walked down the path away from her house. His fists never loosened until he'd marched all the way home and picked up his sword. _This, Hamato Yoshi, means war._

The door to his throne room swung open quietly, but the small sound was enough to stir Shredder from his silent reverie. Bradford and Xever were walking toward him, followed closely behind by one of Stockman's M.O.U.S.E.R.S. He wasn't sure whether they were excited, or anxious.

"Master Shredder." They both dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

"I'm afraid we have some...bad news," Xever began.

"Go on."

The partners in crime glanced at each other nervously. Finally, Bradford stood, addressing Shredder respectfully: "As you know, sir, the tag you placed on Karai has helped us track her movements with ease. Tonight, the GPS Stockman set up for monitoring her showed she was in an apartment building. She's never been there before, and she didn't move for a while, so we sent a Foot-bot to the location to see what she was doing there so long. It used thermal imaging to capture this footage from inside the apartment." He turned toward the small robot behind him. It stepped forward and opened its mouth wide; a holographic projector within shone forth a large, immaterial "screen".

"This is a live feed," Bradford added apprehensively.

Shredder's eyes went wide. Most of the image was blue or green, being room temperature, but in the center were two bright red and orange figures, viewed from the side. One knelt on the ground, while the other seemed to be seated. The two were wrapped in each others' arms; there was no discernible space between their torsos. Their mouths were unmistakably joined. Shredder could hear his pulse pounding in his ears. He gripped the arms of his throne; the kneeling figure, undoubtedly Karai due to her slender frame and feminine curves, seemed to lean back, while the seated one supported her head with one hand and leaned down to kiss her throat. Shredder jumped up from his seat and roared at the top of his lungs.

...The seated figure, without question, had a shell.

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(Woohoo! I am LOVING writing this! XD Please share any thoughts you have on the story with me; I appreciate all feedback. Thanks again for reading! :) )


	10. Confidence

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 10 – Confidence**

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 **(I do not own TMNT.)**

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 **Finally finished this one!**

 **Please let me know what you think of it. :)**

 **Thanks for reading!**

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Every muscle in Shredder's body screamed for Leonardo's blood. He coiled like a snake, sprang forward, and deftly extended the blades nestled within his bracers as he flew over the stairs. The holographic embodiment of his daughter's fiery silhouette, engrossed by the limbs, and lips, of the enemy's, expanded before his eyes until it consumed his field of vision. With a shout of rage he burst through the image, descended upon the M.O.U.S.E.R., and stabbed it with his six blades, tearing it apart with one violent twist of his forearms. Pieces of metal and wire whizzed through the air and clattered to the floor. He stood now, shoulders heaving with every wrathful breath he took, fists and teeth clenched white.

 _First Tang Shen, and now my daughter. The Hamato clan steals EVERYTHING that is mine!_ He could almost smell and taste blood as the memories of his heartbroken past and heart wrenching present merged. _Hamato Yoshi's protégé is every bit as treacherous as he is. …You…Hamato Leonardo…I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS!_

A small shuffling movement behind him brought him back to the present; his two lieutenants were standing by, watching their seething master closely, unsure of whether to stay, or go; speak, or be silent. Shredder took a deep breath and retracted his blades. Turning to face his disciples, he managed to slow his breathing with tremendous effort and looked them squarely in the eyes. "Bradford…Xever. It would appear that you were right – Karai has joined the turtle, Leonardo." The two began to bow with humble appreciation for Shredder's acknowledgment, but they were cut short. " _However…_ " he continued sharply, "I have not forgotten that Karai siding with him can still work in _my_ favor."

Where moments ago Shredder's anger had been explosive, now his fury turned ice-cold. Bradford and Xever shivered as they watched him ascend the stairs to his throne with glacial hostility; the air in the room seemed to have dropped thirty degrees in a matter of seconds. They had never seen him so livid, and composed, at the same time. He turned to face them at the summit.

"If Karai has completely won the turtle's trust, he will inevitably bring her to his lair," Shredder assessed. "No matter how far away, or deep underground, they go, she _WILL_ eventually lead me to Splinter." _Eyes on the prize…I haven't forgotten whom I want to destroy the MOST._ "However…there is still the possibility, no matter how slight, that this is part of a secret plan of Karai's to infiltrate the turtles." His henchmen looked as though they'd like to protest, but Shredder ignored them and continued.

"Send _every_ Foot-bot we have at them." His voice lowered dangerously. "Surround the apartment building. When they leave, no matter which direction they choose, have the bots convene on their route and engage them in combat. _You_ two will follow, and watch. If Karai turns against the turtle during the battle, do nothing. If, however, she turns against our forces…" he gritted his teeth. "…And fights alongside the turtle, you will join the fight and capture her."

Xever looked surprised. "But…what about letting her lead us to Splinter?"

Shredder peered at him with a gaze that could freeze magma. Xever involuntarily took a step back. "If you are successful and bring her to me, the turtles – and perhaps even Splinter – will undoubtedly come for her. If you fail and she leaves with him, let her go. We will immediately begin combing the city to find her – _and_ the Hamato lair."

…

"Where have you BEEN?!" Raph bellowed, driving his sai into a Foot-bot's neck. "Don't you know we've been looking for you non-stop since _LAST NIGHT?!"_

Five bots pounced on Leo, landing on him in a heap and forcing him down onto the rooftop; a blade appeared in a flash, driving up through all five mechanical bodies and pushing them aside. Leo stood and freed his sword with one strong kick to the bots. "Can't a guy have just _ONE_ day to himself?!" he yelled irritably over the din.

"Yeah, but you should have _CALLED!"_

" _GET OFF MY BACK, RAPH!"_

Mikey swung his kusarigama in a wide circle around him, its curved blade piercing bot face after bot face. The CPU-less remains sank without their heads. "Go easy on him, Leo! He was worried SICK about you!" He stopped in the middle of the battle to grin over at his eldest brother. "No, seriously. You should have seen him puking his guts up in the alley when we hadn't heard from you in twenty-four…"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Raph screamed in rage and kicked a Foot-bot in the head so hard, its skull popped off its shoulders, flew through the air, and hit Mikey in the face.

"OWW, DUDE! …Well, it's _TRUE!"_

" _SHUT-UP,_ MIKEY! YOU SWORE YOU WOULDN'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT THAT!"

Karai would have laughed at the brothers' mid-battle antics had she not been so unnerved by Shredder's message: "All traitors must be destroyed!" _Traitors!_ she thought anxiously, advancing on a bot. _He must have learned, somehow, that I've teamed up with Leo! …But HOW?!_

Leo glanced over at her as she fought tooth-and-nail; for the rest of them this was a serious, and challenging, skirmish; for Karai, it was a battle for her life. _She's scared…can't say I blame her._ He hadn't gotten very far from her, but now, he sliced his way back to her position. "Karai…" he called, flipping over several android soldiers to land behind her. "…You okay?"

"I'm fine," was her cool reply. "Don't worry about me." She tightened her grip on her sword.

"Can't help it."

She glanced over her shoulder at him, and for a split second their eyes met; she could read his intentions as clear as day: _I've got your back._ Karai gave him a half-hearted smile; he nodded solemnly, turning back to the enemies approaching her six. When she looked toward the oncoming Foot-bots, she felt surprisingly less alarmed. _Maybe Father does know…maybe he is after me. But I know who's on my side – and he'll guard me with his life._ Her shoulders straightened with renewed confidence. She readied her stance, positioned her feet apart, and took a deep breath. Behind her, Leo did the same.

The first wave of nearby Foot-bots began closing in. Karai let go of her weapon with her left hand, extending her arm out to the side for balance. Suddenly she felt Leo's right hand reach back to grip her forearm; he yanked her off her feet so fast it caught her off guard, for a moment. As their faces passed one another, she saw his cocky smile and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. A smile spread across her lips as realization dawned on her. She looked at the bots running toward Leo's front and aimed her feet into a forceful kick, aided by the speed and momentum Leo provided by swinging her back. Three bots flew backwards from the powerful strike, crashing into half a dozen others and landing them all in a tangled pile of robotic arms, legs, and ninja weapons.

With a tug Leo brought her back towards him to land nimbly on the roof. He smiled at her; the serenity of his cool, blue eyes fully calmed her. " _Trust_ me."

She nodded. "I do."

They spun to face outward once more, circling slowly with eyes, and swords, aiming in every direction. A throwing star whirled toward Leo's side; Karai blocked it with her blade, sending it _pinging_ away from him. As a bot ran toward Karai with its spear drawn back and ready to hurl, Leo leaped into the air, landing on its head and crumpling it to the ground; he stabbed its "heart" for good measure. His back unguarded for a moment, two more robotic soldiers sprinted toward him. Karai flipped and tumbled sideways, landing near Leo just in time to slice both bots in half. Without looking at each other, they both grinned as they fought, relishing this first occasion to truly be on the same side.

Their movements quickly became fluid, and fearless. Donnie couldn't help but glance at them whenever the battle allowed; it was like watching the pair perform a well-rehearsed dance. Each knew where the other was without having to look; which move each would do next; what the other was thinking. They spun and flipped around each other with harmonious precision; the synchronization of their cooperative combat was something to behold. Foot-bots began to pile up in a ring around them.

Donnie watched them during a short lull in the battle. _They fight as one_. He frowned pensively. _It is actually a thing of beauty…_

Raph scowled. "HEY!" he shouted at the duo. "SINCE WHEN DO YOU TWO FIGHT LIKE A MARRIED COUPLE?! …On the SAME SIDE, that is?!"

"Since yesterday!" Leo yelled back.

Mikey whistled, teasing in a sing-song voice while shoving a few Foot-bots off the roof. "Oooooooo! We have a couple of lovebirds here! Leo and Karaaai, fightin' in a tree…K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Raph roared his displeasure. "They'd better NOT have been kissin'!"

Leo inadvertently blushed; Karai grinned mischievously. Raph's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

" _WHAAAAAAAAT?!"_

"Wait, wait, I got one: should we call them…TURTLE DOVES?" Mikey laughed hysterically. "…Sorry, couldn't help it."

Leo, still blushing furiously, wanted this conversation to end. "Guys, can we _PLEASE_ FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND?!"

" _FINE!"_ Raph replied, "But _DON'T_ THINK YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS WHEN THE FIGHT'S OVER!"

"Oh, ye-ah!" Mikey cried, quickly changing gears. "We're thinning the herd!" He was right; there were far fewer Foot-bots now than at the onset. Dozens of bot-bodies lay scattered all over the rooftop; strewn over AC units, crumpled into heaps, and smashed into bits (thanks largely to Raph). Using one end of his kusarigama like a grappling hook, the youngest turtle flung it up to the pinnacle of a billboard and, with a running start, swung himself up to the top. "Booyakash-"

Without warning, Mikey's battle cry was cut short as he was hurled bodily from the ad. He crashed onto the roof with a sickening _thud_. _"MIKEY!"_ exclaimed Raph, his voice filled with concern. He charged toward his brother, striking down any bot that got in his way.

Leo and Karai had annihilated every bot surrounding them. They looked up now to where Mikey had fallen from; they could just make out two deeper shadows standing against the ruddy darkness of the pre-dawn sky. One looked like a fish; the other resembled an emaciated wolf. Karai squinted.

"Xever and Bradford," she stated; Leo said, "Fishface and Rahzar," at the same time. They glanced at each other. "Never mind," Karai smirked, "I like your names for them better."

"You can tell that to Mikey later, since he named them," Leo said in a low voice, looking back to the silhouettes. Raph and Donnie had made it to their baby brother; Donnie began checking Mikey's vitals. Raph watched for a moment, then turned toward Shredder's followers and screamed up at them, "Come on down here, Dog-chow and Fish-stick! Or were you hoping these hordes of Foot-bots would do your dirty work for you?!"

They jumped down from the billboard without hesitation, landing on either side of the trio of turtles. At once Leo and Karai sprang from their positions to flank Raph, Donnie, and Mikey. Raph stood protectively before his medic and injured brothers, pointing one glinting sai at each of the lethal mutants slowly stepping toward him.

"I would happily remove your shells and use them for ash trays," Xever sneered, "But it's not you we're really after." Karai glared at him.

"Speak for yourself," Bradford snarled. "I'd like to dispose of _ALL_ of them."

Raph and Donnie were taken aback. "You're here for Karai?" Donnie asked, incredulous. Raphael was dumbfounded. _Has she truly changed sides?_

"That's right," Xever chuckled. "Daddy knows his princess has turned against him."

"I should have known he'd send you two to spy on me… After all, you're not good for much else."

They hissed (and barked) their displeasure at Karai's sarcasm. "If you don't think we've had more important things to do than follow you around…"

"Can it, Xever," Bradford interrupted his companion. "From now on, we don't have to take any more orders from this teenaged, wanna-be Shredder who can't fill her daddy's shoes…"

Karai fumed. "Oh, yeah? Who did he leave in charge while he was in Japan? And now, who are his _errand boys,_ sent just to capture one _'little girl'?"_

That pushed them over the top. Xever pulled out his huge butterfly knives and spun them open while Bradford flexed his hands, his razor-sharp claws, and teeth, bared. "Well, she's right about one thing..." Bradford growled, raising his right paw to strike. "...This _WILL_ be child's play!"

He promptly crouched and lunged at Karai. Bradford brought his claws down to slash at her face as she brought her tanto up to guard it. But before either claws or tanto could connect, a much bigger sword flashed in the space between them; it sang through the air and easily sliced off the tips of every claw on Bradford's right hand. He howled in anger. Leo stood beside Karai, his right hand gripping his sword hilt, his left hand reaching protectively across her back to wrap around her waist. "Think again, Rahzar."

Bradford sneered at her. "You need a bodyguard now?"

Leo's eyes went wide; he looked from Bradford to Karai and back. "No! I mean, she doesn't NEED a bodyguard, she can fend for herself, but she has...you know...backup..."

Karai arched an amused brow, keeping her eyes focused on Bradford. "Leo, you really _are_ adorable. _Stupid..._ but adorable."

He glanced over at her and stammered. "B-but...I don't think you're weak, or anything, I just...want to protect...I mean, help..."

Bradford shuddered. "Ugh, you're gonna make me sick!"

"Me, too," Raph chimed in disgustedly. "Save the lovers' quarrel for later and let's KICK SOME TAIL!" He sprang toward Xever, who saw the attack coming; knives locked with sai. Leo released Karai's waist but stayed at her side as Bradford began to circle them, looking for an opening to attack. The pair slowly stepped away from Donnie and Mikey, hoping to draw the canine away from the prone ninja.

Donnie looked worried as he leaned his face down to hover over Mikey's mouth, watching for the rise and fall of his plastron while feeling for any air movement. "He's breathing," he said to himself, relieved despite the shallowness of the breaths that washed over his cheek. He stared down at his brother's face. "C'mon, Mikey... _please_ wake up..." By the time Donnie looked up again, Karai and Leo were running across the wide rooftop in pursuit of Bradford, who was trying to put enough space between himself and the highly skilled, sword-wielding duo to plan an advantageous counterattack; Raph and Xever were slashing at each other haphazardly and getting dangerously close to Mikey. Donnie drew his staff in a heartbeat and stood over him, ready to defend him from either side of the battle. For a moment he had forgotten that there were still a dozen or so Foot-bots roaming the roof, and before long, he, too, was engaged in the battle, striking and blocking every nearby bot while taking care not to step on or disturb his unconscious brother.

 _Finally,_ thought Bradford, _I'm getting the upper hand._ He had moved toward a pocket of Foot-bots that were computing which turtle to go after and ordered them to surround Leo and Karai. While the bots did not pose a major threat, Bradford's employment of them as a distraction was quite effective. Fighting back-to-back once more, they were kept busy countering and blocking the incoming bot-attacks while also trying to keep a close eye on Bradford. His wolfish build was lightning quick, and as agile as he used to be in human form; he darted to and fro outside the ring of robots, keeping Karai and Leo guessing as to where he would strike next. As they moved and dodged within the circle of enemies, they began to shift closer to Donnie, knowing if they had to lose ground, it might as well be in the direction of a teammate.

Xever had swiped Raph's legs out from under him; he now lay on his back, grappling with Xever to keep him from driving one (or both) of his knives into his muscular, green neck. With a yell of exertion, Raph managed to snake one knee up between their chests and, planting his foot against Xever's scaly abdomen, kick the snake-fish mutant off him and into an AC unit across the roof. Raph quickly brought his legs up and over his head, did a backwards somersault, and landed in a crouch, facing the furious fish. As soon as he'd recovered from the impact Xever charged toward Raph, who was still several yards away from Mikey and the others; he braced himself for the assault, refusing to allow the enemy to advance even an inch closer to his family.

Out of nowhere a yellow water balloon smacked into the fish's face and burst. Raph blinked. _Is that...blood?_ Xever had stopped dead in his tracks; he was holding his eyes and screaming bloody murder as bright red liquid dripped all over his head and body.

"AHHHHHHHH! IT BURRRRRRRNS!"

 _That water balloon can only have come from one person..._ Raph spun around to see a scraped and bruised Mikey standing behind him; one hand held a pink water balloon; the other fist was victoriously extended into the sky. "OHHHHHHH yeah! Dr. Prankenstein's on FIRE tonight!"

Raph was overjoyed. "MIKEY! YOU'RE OKAY!"

Mikey blinked. "Why wouldn't I be...?"

Raph's jaw dropped. "Remember? On the billboard...?

Mikey blinked. "...Did I...miss something...?"

"WHAT?! But...?! How could you not...? ...Never mind. I'm just glad you're okay."

Mikey had no idea what his brother was talking about, but he shrugged and smiled. "Glad I could help."

Raph looked back to Xever, who was writhing on the ground, still screaming in pain. "What did you _do_ to him?"

Mikey winked. "Never underestimate the water balloon arm, especially when the ammo's loaded with..." He whipped around and lobbed the pink balloon at Bradford. _"...GHOST PEPPER SAUCE!"_

Bradford never saw it coming. He jumped into the air, burst through the ring of Foot-bots circling Leo and Karai, and raised his left arm to slice them with his remaining claws, when... _SPLAT!..._ the balloon exploded right between his eyes. He fell to the ground ungracefully, tumbling head over heels into the legs of several bot soldiers. They became an entangled mess as the mutant's head and limbs thrashed chaotically; his howls, whimpers, and whines mingled with Xever's screams to create a huge racket.

Leo and Karai were still tense and ready for Bradford's assault when his trajectory was so unexpectedly shot off course. They stood for a moment, dazed, watching the tormented henchman flopping in anguish beneath a pile of Foot-bots. Karai glanced at Leo. "What WAS that?! Where did it even _come_ from?!"

His eyes lit up. "It was a water balloon, and you DON'T want to know where he keeps them, but it must have been thrown by..." He looked over to where his brothers stood. "MIKEY!"

Mikey was doing his favorite victory dance. "Uh-huh! Oh yeah! The Prankmeister has never BEEN this hot before!" He commenced his best MC Hammer impersonation. "Can't touch this! Da-na-na-na-na...uh...UH! CAN'T TOUCH THIS!"

"Way to go, Mikey!" Leo called before turning back to the fray. Without Bradford or Xever to worry about, he and Karai dispatched the remaining bots in minutes. Normally, with all of their enemies either rendered powerless or destroyed, the turtles would have stayed on the rooftop after the fight to fill each other in and celebrate their victory, but lights and sirens were already approaching from several blocks away; no doubt they'd been called to check out the sounds of war and torture coming from the roof. The five looked at each other in agreement, sheathed their weapons, and wordlessly ran to the far end of the roof to scuttle down the fire escape. Raph took the lead this time, with Karai, Leo (who refused to leave her side), and Mikey in the middle, and Donnie bringing up the rear. They darted through the shadows of the alley and ran for the nearest manhole. Raph used his sai to pry it open, let the others go down, and then hopped in before the heavy cover could clang shut on top of him.

Reaching the bottom of the iron wrung ladder, they dropped into the sewer in silence. No one spoke a word until they'd gone down several passages and made several turns. Eventually, Raph noticed a soft humming coming from the tunnel ahead of him. He recognized the tune just as Mikey began to sing softly: "So light 'em up, up, up, light 'em up, up, up, light 'em up, up, up, I'm on..."

"Fire!" Raph finished for him with a grin. "Yeah, you were on fire tonight, Dr. Prankenstein," he said quietly. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he definitely had a soft spot for his younger brother. "Nice song choice."

Mikey beamed over his shoulder. "Thanks, Raph." They both continued humming as they ran.

Karai felt a sense of dread coming over her with every step she took. _I know I told Leo I'd go with him, to HIS home, but...all my life, I've been told that Hamato Yoshi – Splinter – is my mortal enemy. That he's treacherous, and devious, and back-stabbing. Now...I'm in love with his greatest disciple._ Her heart skipped at the thought: it was the first time she'd really admitted it to herself. _I'm in love with Leo...and I'm letting him lead me straight into his – the enemy's – lair. Can I...do I really trust Leo this much?_ She glanced back at Leo and found that he was watching her intently. _Does he guess my thoughts?_ Karai wondered. _Is it him I doubt, or am I just...afraid?_

"Guys, stop!" Leo said in a normal volume. All five of them halted and faced him. Leo, ignoring the looks of his brothers, stepped closer to Karai and took her hands in his; every jaw dropped, including hers. She hadn't expected him to be so forward in front of his brothers when they hadn't even reached (what she hoped would be) safety yet. His deep blue eyes searched hers. "Karai...we don't _have_ to do this if you're not ready."

She swallowed. "Leo, I do trust you, but...Splinter..."

He squeezed her hands gently. "I know. You've been taught to hate him, and never trust him."

She said nothing.

Leo pulled her a step closer to him. "Look...if we get there, and you don't feel safe, we'll leave. Together."

Raph balked. "Are you SERIOUS?! You're just gonna walk out on your own FAMILY?!"

Leo shot him a cutting glare. "Sensei would understand."

"HOW COULD YOU...?!"

"I think Leo's right," Donnie said quietly. Raph looked at him as if he'd just sprouted three heads. Donnie remained calm. "Look, we all know the truth, don't we? Shredder stole Karai when she was a baby." Karai gave him a deadly gaze that said she'd love to beat the tar out of him. He turned to her and continued, "I know you may not believe it yet, Karai, and that's okay. Leo's right. If you don't feel safe, if you don't want to stay, there's no WAY that Splinter would make you. He'd never force you to be a part of our family. If you don't like our home, or you can't trust us, you'll be free to go."

She looked back to Leo; he looked deeply into her eyes and nodded in affirmation. "And I'll stay with you, Karai, no matter what. I think that's what Splinter would want, anyway...to know that you're safe."

Her mouth felt dry. As she looked from Leo to his brothers, she saw a mix of acceptance and disbelief in their faces, but not a single trace of hostility. It seemed that for their brother's, and master's, sake, they were willing to put all differences aside (including the memories of past fights against her). She couldn't believe it. _Is this what it's like, to be a part of a...family?_

"Whatever," Raph grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. "You do what you want. We'll just SEE what Master Splinter says about all this when we get back to the lair."

Karai looked back to Leo: his strong, unwavering gaze; the steadiness of his hands wrapped securely around hers; his unflinching, decisive demeanor. Just being near him inspired confidence in her. She returned his grip, took a deep breath, and nodded hesitantly.

"Okay, Leo...let's go home."

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(Thanks again for reading! I think I know where the story is going to go after this, but I'm honestly not entirely sure. There are several directions the plot can take; the question is, which one do I choose? :D I guess we'll see! Please let me know what you think! ^_^ )

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(Oh, and songs do not belong to me. MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This" and Fall Out Boy's "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark". ;) )


	11. Confess

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 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 11 – Confess**

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 **(I do not own TMNT.)**

 **Sorry this took SO long to write!**

 **Story's going to be a little more complicated**

 **from here on out, lol.**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading! ^_^**

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"Alright…START TALKING!"

In the safety of the lair, Leo had just turned toward Karai and taken her hands in his to welcome her to their home for the first time.

That was before Raph turned and began stomping toward him like a bull seeing red. Leo dropped Karai's hands and froze.

He almost thought he could see wisps of smoke coming from Raph's ears.

Karai crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight, jutting her right hip out. She had been nervous upon their arrival, but now, she bemusedly watched as her soulmate got berated and scolded by his younger brother.

"What were you THINKING, leaving like that without a word, no warning, not even a hint about where you were going…? You went to meet _her_ , didn't you?!"

"Not _her_ …KARAI."

"What if it had been a trap? What if Shredder was out to avenge Tigerclaw? If he'd found you alone…"

"I wasn't alone."

"If he'd found you with _HER_ , do you think he'd have been _NICER?_ You think Daddy-Scissorhands would have been thrilled to find his daughter with his sworn enemy's mutant turtle _son?_ "

"WHOA, WHOA, TIME OUT!" Mikey cut in. He looked a little greener than usual. "Leo, I was making jokes earlier, but I just remembered something…" He swallowed and gripped Leo's shoulders, looking like he was trying hard not to be sick. "Are you telling me that you actually kissed, or maybe even…did you… (urp) … _MAKE OUT_ with…our _SISTER?!"_

Karai blinked and turned beet red, her mouth agape at the prospect ( _if_ what they said was actually true). Leo spluttered. Raph bellowed. Mikey looked like he was about to hurl. Donnie raised a finger in the air.

"Actually, I don't think that's exactly the case."

Eight eyes fixed on him. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I mean, technically it _was_ Splinter's human DNA that, combined with the mutagen, turned us into the anthropomorphic beings we are today. But being transformed via mutagen isn't the same as the combining of two sets of human DNA in a zygote."

Everyone blinked.

Donnie sighed. "What I mean to say is that even though Karai has Splinter's DNA from the normal process of gamete fertilization in human reproduction…" He blushed. "…The DNA we received from Splinter has been fused with our original reptilian DNA to form something _entirely_ new. In other words, if you were to compare our DNA to Karai's, the results would NOT show that we are related…in fact, the human DNA in ours would be completely unrecognizable. Mutagen combining two sets of human DNA would be one thing, but morphing reptile and mammal DNA into something totally, and seemingly _impossibly_ new, is another. We're pretty much our own, one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen-on-this-planet, species. I doubt that DNA testing would even show that we're related to _Splinter_."

Leo, Karai, and Mikey all sighed with relief. Raph shook his head and clenched his fists. "Look, whatever. I don't CARE about that. What I DO care about is our supposed 'leader' ditching us without a word and then showing up a day and a half later with our master's daughter who still doesn't believe that's who she is and getting himself, and us, caught in the middle of a trap set by Shredder to catch his little runaway princess!"

Leo and Karai both scowled at Raph; Leo stepped in front of her and spoke menacingly to his brother. "Raph, I'm warning you, _leave her out of this_. _I'm_ the one who chose to leave without notice, _I'm_ the one who went looking for _her_ , _I'm_ the one who didn't let you know where I was or what I was doing. Karai and I were _both_ surprised at how quickly those Foot-bots surrounded us before you guys showed up. If she's responsible for anything that's happened tonight, it's teaming up with _me_ ; in Shredder's eyes, and yours, I guess, that's what she did wrong. That's _all_."

Karai smirked and placed a hand on Leo's shoulder, gently pushing him aside. "Thanks, Leo, but if your brother has a problem with me, I can handle him myself." She sauntered closer to Raph, who grimaced at her approach. "I get the feeling you don't like me being here…?"

"I DON'T. Not until I'm sure we can trust you."

"Oh, yeah? What's it gonna take to show you I'm here for Leo, and nothing else?"

Leo's heart did more somersaults than an acrobat in Cirque du Soleil.

"For starters, you can let us check you, _and_ your gear, to make sure you're not carrying some kind of tracking device."

She gave him an impish grin. "By all means; I have nothing to hide. Should I strip down here, or…?"

Raphael turned three shades of red before shouting, "DONNIE! THIS IS YOUR DEPARTMENT! …I'M OUTTA HERE!" He turned on his heel, stomped over to the punch dummy hanging nearby, and began wailing on it with his fists, grunting and growling something unintelligible as he vented his frustration. Karai turned to face Leo and placed a hand on her hip.

"He talks tough, but he's really kind of shy, isn't he?"

Leo chuckled at her shrewd observation. "You have NO idea."

Donnie twiddled his thumbs awkwardly. "Well, I can't really argue with Raph that it would be wise to check Karai and her gear…" Leo glared at him, but he added quickly, "You have to admit, Leo, that even if she didn't bring anything to contact Shredder _on purpose_ , there's still a good chance that he could have planted something on her just in case she ever found our home…"

Leo looked back to her sheepishly. "He's not wrong, Karai. …Would you mind…?"

She shrugged. "I can't blame you for wanting to be sure. I'd do the same to you if our roles were reversed."

"Great – then follow me. This way," Donnie said, motioning toward his lab. Leo snuck a hand out and grasped hers as they left the main living area and entered the large work space. Donnie slid the door shut behind them.

A half hour later, the door slid open and Karai emerged, followed by the two turtles. She was re-fastening her left bracer as she walked; there had been no need for her to disrobe, but she'd had to remove every weapon and piece of armor she wore or carried to allow Donatello to examine each piece, scan them, and then scan her for any hidden metallic objects or radio wave emissions.

"Everything checked out… Karai, and all her gear, is clean," Don announced. Karai looked smugly at Raphael, who was standing near the Space Heroes pinball machine as Mikey tried to beat Leo's high score. He glowered back at her.

"So…" Leo interrupted the building tension, glancing between his two favorite hot-heads, "Has anyone seen Splinter this morning? I'm guessing he's still in the dojo…"

"No, he is _not_ ," a voice emphatically replied from the lair's main entrance. All five heads turned toward the sound, and ten eyes went wide with surprise.

"Master Splinter!" Leo exclaimed, suddenly nervous at having to face his sensei after what was probably the most disobedient thirty-six hours of his life. This time, Raphael crossed his arms over his plastron and looked smugly at Karai. _NOW we'll see what Splinter has to say._

Karai returned his gaze with defiant composure. _If you think I'm going to cower before your master, no matter what he thinks of Leo and me, you've got another thing coming._ She smirked directly at Raph while resting her hand on Leo's shoulder, moving closer to him so that her front touched his side. Raphael fumed; Leo gulped.

"Uh, Sensei…I can explain…"

Splinter waved his hand dismissively. "There is no need for that. I _know_ why you left, Leonardo...and what you were doing," he added, glancing at Karai. "I witnessed your battle with Shredder's forces on the roof."

Karai and the turtles gasped. Leo stammered, "B-but…h-how did you…"

"When you did not return or report, I decided to join the search, unbeknownst to your brothers." Hands clasped behind his back, the mutant rat, both stately and somber, calmly strode toward the teenaged ninja. "I found you when you were already engaged in battle…I saw the way you and Karai fought together." Leo blushed; Karai gripped his shoulder a little tighter. "It is quite clear what is between the two of you."

Neither Leo nor Karai knew what to make of this at first. Leo had been prepared to have to explain himself, but here Splinter was revealing that he already knew, in general if not in detail, what he'd been doing since he left. Karai remained silent, but watched Splinter thoughtfully as he moved, spoke. He'd obviously seen her there, with Leo, but seemed too preoccupied and hurried to address her presence in the lair. Leo opened his mouth to speak, but Splinter silenced him with a raise of his hand.

"There is no time. The city _and_ sewers are teeming with Shredder's robotic ninja as we speak. Undoubtedly they are searching for Karai." His gaze suddenly landed upon her with the force of a train; she felt as if a sucker punch had knocked the wind out of her. They regarded each other for several breathless moments. Reddish brown orbs, full of prudent wisdom and honesty, met golden irises filled with suspicion and well-masked fear. Karai's eyes didn't waver, but she wished he'd ask why she was there, or whose side she was one, or do something, _anything_ rather than continue to peer into her mind and soul. Unable to bear it any longer, she shifted her weight uncomfortably.

 _I don't even know if you're my enemy or not, but I wish you'd either greet me or attack me so I know what to think._

At length Splinter spoke, his tone surprisingly gentle. "Karai," he said, and something inside her stirred at the way he said her name, "You are welcome to remain here in safety, or join us in the fight." She inhaled sharply, shocked by this sign of good faith. "Either way," he continued, "We must venture into the sewers to meet this threat head-on. We should take the fight to them, before _they_ come to us."

Leo and his brothers nodded gravely; Leo turned to face Karai and looked into her eyes.

"Like Master Splinter said…it's your choice."

Karai looked from Leo to his sensei and back again. _This is all happening so fast. Aside from being with Leo, wasn't I supposed to come down here to learn something about my past? I guess that will have to wait, for now…_ She squared her shoulders decisively.

"I'm staying with you."

The infectious warmth of Leo's smile spread to the corners of her own mouth.

"Karai and I will cover the west. Donnie, the north; Raph, east; Mikey, south. Sensei, are you staying to guard the lair?"

Splinter nodded. "I will venture into the sewers, but only those nearby. If any come near our home, or inside it, they will have to face me."

"Alright. Let's try to maintain radio silence, but does everyone have their T-phone in case of emergency?"

"Yes, fearless leader," Raph sneered. Leo ignored him.

"It might take all day, but we don't come back until we've made sure every sewer is cleared. Agreed?"

"I can help with that," Donnie chimed in. "I've been planning to put sensors and cameras throughout the entire sewer system anyway, to help alert us to approaching enemies. Now seems like the perfect time to start using them. After I've cleared my section, and planted the devices, I'll head toward each of yours and do the same."

"Great thinking, Donnie. Let's resupply and head out."

The turtles turned away; Karai and Splinter remained fixed on the spot, silently observing one another. _Funny,_ Karai thought. _I've always believed he's my greatest enemy, but now, standing face-to-face with him in HIS home… I don't FEEL threatened… Either he really is that good at deception, or…_

"Karai."

She nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. She lowered her chin slightly in response, peering up at him apprehensively through guarded eyes.

"We have but a few minutes before you and my sons leave to defend our home. Will you allow me to show you…something from my past?" Splinter's expression and demeanor were as tranquil as ever, but his eyes revealed a startling depth of zeal and desperation; a quiet longing permeated his gaze and tainted his words. Karai didn't know what to make of it at first, but experience had taught her to trust her instincts, and she felt that (for the present time, anyway) she was in no danger.

She gave a hesitant nod.

Splinter bowed gratefully and turned toward the dojo, leading her to it in a surprisingly unhurried pace, considering the warning he'd just brought of approaching peril. _A threat drawn here by me,_ she frowned to herself. _Either he's much more understanding than I thought, or he's luring me into a false sense of safety._ Her eyes narrowed as she watched his back.

Her right hand noiselessly gripped the hilt of her sword.

One after another, they walked through a concrete archway and paused just inside the spacious room. Karai stifled a gasp. It was remarkably beautiful, and not at all what she had expected.

The first thing her eyes took in was a large, twisted and yet beautiful tree growing out of the ground on the left side of the room. The square of soil in which it stood had been lined with wood, separating it from the rest of the concrete floor, which was neatly covered with beautiful rugs; some Persian and antique, others modern and less ornate, but all contributing to the resourceful, yet charming atmosphere of the space. The long, harsh brick walls had been carefully covered with wood paneling. The shorter wall to the left was hidden by moveable wood and rice paper screens, and to the right were gorgeous sliding doors, painted with traditional motifs and scenes from ninja and samurai history. Above the doors, panels depicting trees and cranes in flight glowed softly. Karai could tell, at a glance, that Splinter had filled his dojo with everything he loved about Japan.

Although the entire room was peaceful, her eyes were perpetually drawn back to the tree. That strangely familiar tree, whose beautiful blue-green leaves shimmered, illuminated by some unseen sliver of sunlight that managed to penetrate the ceiling from the world above. The beams of light refracted through the still leaves until they stabbed to the floor like…like… _Golden blades held between green fingers._ Karai gasped.

 _I dreamed this tree._

Splinter's ears twitched; he paused and looked over his shoulder, studying her face. "Is something wrong?"

Karai closed her mouth and swallowed. It took every fragment of concentration she could muster not to stumble back and grip the wall for support.

 _How is this even possible? I've never been here before. Is it because of my connection to Leo, or…_

Splinter now turned to face her, his eyes full of concern. "Karai…?"

She forced herself to look away and focus on her host's face. She blinked.

"I'm fine. …What was it you wanted to show me?"

Splinter gestured toward a shrine built into the wall on the far side of the room. Karai nodded stiffly and warily walked past him toward it. It seemed typical enough of other shrines she had seen before in Japan. The top shelf, the only one which protruded from the wall, was covered with carefully placed statues, urns, and other artifacts from her homeland; small, brightly burning candles swathed every object with warmth and light.

 _Cozy._

Karai halted and scrutinized the items. _Which of these trinkets could be so important he had to show it to me now, while my father's forces are closing in?_

Splinter stepped just past her and reached for a single object on the topmost concave shelf. Holding it to his chest, he turned toward Karai. "This is what I would like to show you. It is one of my two most cherished possessions." He held out a framed photo for her to see. Her heart thundered against her ribs.

Inside the simple wooden border was a formal family portrait. Karai held her breath as she examined the three stoic figures portrayed there in traditional Japanese attire. On the left was a handsome, square-shouldered man with a strong face; in the center, a swaddled baby was held aloft; and on the right, with her raven hair pulled back from her elegant face into a modest bun was…

… _My mother._

Karai could have sworn someone just drove a stake through her heart.

This time, no amount of concentration could prevent her from staggering back, arms held out for balance. Tears swelled in her wide, unblinking eyes. Her right hand found the wall and pressed against it for support. Her mind was reeling.

… _The man in that picture…is NOT Oroku Saki._

Splinter watched her reaction closely, his eyes gentle and kind. Continuing to hold the framed picture with one hand where she could see it, he reached the other into a hidden pocket that lay against his chest and removed an old, slightly fading, unframed photo. He held it alongside the other, and patiently allowed her to take it in.

Karai nearly choked.

The same couple from the first photo was captured in the second, but instead of traditional kimonos, they wore Western clothing, contemporary of several decades past. Her mother, Tang Shen, looked radiant and joyful in the light of a sunny afternoon. The man was obviously captivated by her warmth and beauty, his spellbound eyes glued to her lovely face, her dark hair flowing over the arm he had protectively wrapped around her shoulders.

Karai wasn't sure if she stared at those two pictures for seconds or minutes, but Splinter patiently and silently allowed her to drink them in for as long as she liked. The tears in her eyes never fell: she would not allow herself to be so vulnerable before him just yet. At length, Karai straightened her stance and let go of the wall. With trembling fingers she unfastened one of the hidden clasps holding the two halves of her breastplate together and reached into a small pocket made where the soft leather lining had begun to pull away from the concave steel.

She pulled out a portion of the same informal photograph; it had been torn in two, but she treasured it as the only picture she'd ever seen of her mother. Karai took a deep breath, turned the photo over so Splinter could see it, and said haltingly, "I…I always believed that the arm around my mother's shoulders in this photo belonged to Oroku Saki…" She looked up at Splinter with eyes so full of pain and sorrow, his heart broke for her on the spot.

"Karai…" he said tenderly. "We both loved your mother. But when she chose me, Saki refused to accept it…"

Her eyelids closed. Several tears finally plunged from her lashes to the floor. Splinter wished he could hold her, tell her how sorry he was to have missed her whole life so far, apologize for being too stupid to realize that Shredder had stolen her from their burning home so many years ago. He quickly replaced the photo inside his robe, slowly reached for her shoulder, and…

"Ahem… Master Splinter? I'm very sorry to interrupt, but…we really need to get going…"

Splinter and Karai both glanced over at Leo. _How long has he been standing there?_ she wondered. Splinter inhaled and exhaled slowly. "You are correct, Leonardo." Looking back to Karai, he bowed apologetically. "Forgive me, but we must get back to the task at hand. Our home is in danger."

When he straightened, he saw that Karai had dried her tears, and her expression had changed from torment and confusion to fierce resolve. "Your home is in danger…because of me." He caught the steely glint in her eyes just before she bowed low and spoke to the floor.

"I won't let them find this place. Please, allow me to fight at your side to defend it…Father."

…

…

…

…


	12. Commit

**.**

 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 12 – Commit**

 **...**

 **I do not own TMNT.**

 **...**

 **Whew! I struggled a bit with this one,**

 **but it's finished!**

 **Hope you like it :D**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **And, as always,**

 **Thanks for reading! ^_^**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

Splinter's heart stopped beating and somehow, miraculously, restarted itself.

 _Father._

Had he really heard the word come from his own daughter's lips, or had he just imagined it?

 _Father…_

The word he had longed to hear so many years ago, before his child was taken from him; and ever since, he believed he'd been forever robbed of the chance to hear her call him by such a sacred title.

 _Father._

Splinter shook his head, his ears and whiskers waggling from the motion. _Wake up, Yoshi…your family is in danger._ Glancing down, he realized that Karai remained bowed at the waist, her face toward the floor, awaiting his reply. He touched her shoulder gingerly; she stood and looked earnestly into his face, unsure of how he would react to her calling him "Father" for the first time. She nervously bit her lip. _Should I have waited for his permission? So much has changed in so little time…_

She relaxed and smiled when he replied, "I never thought I would get to enjoy the privilege of hearing you call me that." He placed both hands warmly on her shoulders. "I would be honored to have you at my side."

Leo let out a silent breath of relief watching the tender scene from the doorway. _She finally knows the truth…and, more importantly, she ACCEPTS it._ He wasn't sure what this would mean – would she choose to fully join the Hamato clan and be a part of the team, or wish to run away with him, staying together, belonging to each other and no one else? His own eyes began to water as he watched Karai hesitantly step toward Splinter and wrap her arms about his waist; Splinter looked as if he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, but instead he pulled her in close and contentedly closed his eyes. Leo grinned.

 _Right now, the future can wait. She finally knows where she comes from…and who TRULY cares about her._

Moments later the two parted and stared at each other. No words passed between them, but eyes full of fatherly pride and joy gazed warmly into eyes full of hope…and regret. Splinter smiled down at his daughter reassuringly. "Come…we will soon be rid of this threat, and have some time together at last." Karai beamed in spite of herself, and though her eyes were still tinged with sadness, she stated simply, "I'd like that."

They turned and walked thoughtfully toward the arched entrance where Leo stood. Splinter paused as he passed his adopted son, placed a hand appreciatively on his shoulder, and closed his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but made no sound; Leo reached up and covered Splinter's hand with his own. The tall master looked wordlessly down at his most devoted pupil, squeezed his shoulder with inexpressible gratitude, and continued on through the lair.

Karai had paused behind Splinter, and now approached Leo with a weak smile. Her emotions were still tattered and frayed; her entire world had been turned upside-down, shattered, rearranged, and then flipped right-side-up again. His heart went out to her as she stood there before him, looking mentally and emotionally exhausted, but still determined to join the fight. _Should I ask if she's okay?_ he wondered. _I mean, obviously she's been through a lot and she's probably NOT okay, but…_

Before he could think of anything to say, Karai's arms were wrapped around his neck and her cheek pressed to the side of his head. She took a deep breath in and whispered out, "…Thank-you."

Leo enveloped her in his arms and held her close. Words seemed superfluous. He felt a single tear drip onto his shoulder. _I always thought it was just some dumb cliché,_ he thought, _but time really does seem to stand still when you're with the one you love._

Karai finally stepped back and looked at him, her palms against his plastron. "…If it wasn't for you, Leo, I…"

Leo smiled gently, but his gaze was profound. " _Anything_ for you..."

Her chin trembled; he cupped the side of her face with one hand, his thumb brushing over her chin, and lips. "… _Believe_ me, Karai." His fingers traveled to the back of her neck, feeling her soft hair and skin, slowly pulling her closer…

A yellow-green hand suddenly appeared before Leo's eyes, breaking the hypnotic effect Karai's honeyed orbs had upon him.

"Leooooo… Earth to Leooo… Come in, Leo…"

They broke apart and glared at Mikey, whose playful grin evaporated in seconds.

"…Uhhhh…heh heh, my bad… …butRaph'sgettingreallymadwaitingforyoutwoandSplintersaysit'stimetogosoI'vedeliveredthemessagetoyounowsobye!"

And with that, he bolted out of sight.

Leo looked back to Karai and shrugged. "Kid brothers…what're you gonna do?"

She chuckled, her heart feeling a little lighter after the goofy interruption. Her hand reached to his and entwined their fingers.

"C'mon…they're waiting for us. …And, Leo?"

"Yes?"

"…Be careful out there."

"Always."

…

Donatello's phone tickled him as it vibrated between his belt and his side. He quickly pulled it out and slid his thumb across the picture of Captain Ryan's face illuminating the screen.

"D here. What's up, Leo?"

"I've finished clearing the west. Haven't seen any more Foot-bots in the last hour, and I've been patrolling all over the place." It had been several hours since the four turtles went their separate ways, and each worked as quickly as he could to find and dispatch every enemy bot in his respective patrol area. Donnie frowned.

"Leo, you okay? Raph and Mikey finished way before you, and that's unusual…"

Leo's voice was strained. "I'm fine. Just still a little sore from that stage collapse I told you about."

"You ought to head back, Leo. Shell punctures are NO joke. Splinter should take a look at your wounds to make sure they're still clean, and you should get some rest."

Leo didn't sound convinced. "What about the sensors and cameras? It's going to take you way too long to set them all up by yourself, and I was going to help you when you got to my area…"

"I'll be fine. I brought all the equipment I'll need with me and hid it while I was clearing the north. Mikey and Raph are on their way now; I'm going to show them how to set up each device and we'll split up to cover more ground. We'll have it done in no time."

"…Well…if you're sure…"

"I am. You've done plenty already, considering that you were _already_ wounded…"

"…Alright, I'll head back to the lair. But if you guys need me _at all_ , DON'T hesitate to call."

"Roger that. See you later."

"Later."

…

"Leonardo! Back so soon? Where are your brothers?"

Splinter and Karai had been sitting quietly together just outside the lair's entrance when Leo approached, looking much more weary and bedraggled than he usually did after a skirmish. His appearance and surprisingly early return gave Splinter immediate concern for his eldest son. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Nothing, Sensei. It's just that the night I left without warning, I ran into Karai and we sparred in an abandoned theater. The stage collapsed on us and gave me some wounds…"

Splinter's eyes went wide. "How serious?"

"Not very…I think." Leo glanced at Karai, who rose to her feet. "Karai helped patch me up yesterday. Donnie said that he's got the sensors covered and that I should ask you to take a look at my wounds, and get some rest."

"He is right, of course. You should have said something earlier, Leonardo."

"I'll be fine, Sensei, really."

Splinter's eyes narrowed and peered down at him from under bristling brows.

"That remains to be seen."

Leo gulped.

Minutes later he was seated on the subway terminal bench "couch" in their living room, Splinter carefully peeling back the duct tape Karai had used to cover the small hole in his shell. She watched closely, hoping that it hadn't gotten infected in the last twenty-four hours.

"Well done, Karai." She let out a sigh of relief. He had just finished pulling out the packing gauze and inspecting the wound. "It is still clean, but the gauze needs to be changed. I believe Donatello keeps our med kit somewhere in his lab, but where exactly I cannot say. Would you mind looking for it while I continue to examine Leonardo's injuries?" She bowed respectfully with her head and turned toward the lab with a last glance at Leo. _Is he in trouble or something? Why do I get the feeling Splinter's just trying to get rid of me – for a little while, anyway?_

As soon as Karai left the room, Splinter addressed Leo in a strikingly grave tone.

"Leonardo."

He turned to face his father. "Hai, Sensei?"

Splinter paused, collecting his thoughts. "I know how you must feel about Karai."

Leo blushed and said nothing.

"I know you well, my son…I am certain that your intentions toward her are nothing less than honorable."

Leo met Splinter's gaze and nodded solemnly.

"But, I must know…just how far are you prepared to go to protect her?"

Leo blinked. _Where is this coming from…?_ "Sensei…?"

"Karai now knows the truth, but from now on Shredder will _never_ stop hunting for her. He seeks my life, and at one time he had hoped to use my own daughter against me in order to take it. Now that she has joined us – for now, anyway – his efforts for revenge on our entire family will be redoubled. Should anything happen to me…"

Leo sat upright, his voice raised with urgency. "Don't say that, Master Splinter! You're ten times the ninjutsu master Shredder is: nothing is going to happen to you."

"Leonardo!" he replied sharply. "Neither you nor I know what the future holds. Just this morning I regained the daughter I once thought I'd lost forever; while I am overjoyed at being reunited with her, I do not know how long this will last." Leo started to interject but was stopped short with the raise of a hand. "Please understand. I do not wish to sound morbid and gloomy, but the truth is Shredder is a formidable opponent, and the onslaught he will undoubtedly send our way will be relentless and ruthless. I treasure my sons, and my daughter, but _she_ is in the greatest danger now. Please…I must know that even if I should fall in the coming battles, Karai will be well-guarded."

Leo snapped his jaw shut. _I understand. No matter how remote the possibility that Splinter could die in the near future, he is not willing to leave Karai vulnerable and unguarded with Shredder coming after her. After all, she doesn't always think clearly when strong emotions are concerned, and I'm sure she's going to have many, MANY mixed feelings about Shredder that could cloud her judgment._ He looked into his father's eyes, meeting his stern gaze with honesty and sincere zeal.

"Father…I swear to you, I will not let _ANY_ harm come to Karai. Not as long as I have breath in me. I will now, and _always_ , guard her – heart, mind, body, and soul – with my life."

Splinter's eyes closed and his shoulders relaxed, betraying just how tense he had felt before hearing Leo's words. A peaceful smile spread across his face.

"Thank-you, Leonardo...I know you will. I have complete faith in you."

He busily began unwrapping the bandage around Leo's arm just moments before Karai reentered the room. She held up an old worn leather suitcase that had a red cross painted on it. "Is this it?"

"Yes. Thank-you, my daughter."

Karai blushed and froze for a moment; she hoped Splinter didn't notice and, quickly recovering, brought the case over to him and set it on the couch. _That's the first time he's called me that…that I can remember, anyway…_

Karai proved to be an excellent assistant as she helped her father treat and re-wrap each of Leo's major wounds. Most had already begun to scab over and looked as though they'd be gone in a few days. Splinter noticed how sad her demeanor sometimes became as her eyes scanned Leo's body, taking in every bruise and abrasion. _She feels responsible,_ he realized, though he decided to save his questions about what exactly happened in that old theater for another time.

"There. We'll check your wounds in another day or two, but in the meantime, you should rest as much as you can…while you have the chance." Karai's brow furrowed. _While he has the chance…? …He anticipates Shredder's inevitable retaliation. I'm afraid we both know all too well what he's capable of…_

"Karai, please make yourself comfortable. I will prepare an herbal tea renowned for speeding healing. It looks like you both could use some." Splinter arose, gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and quietly strode toward the kitchen.

Alone at last, Karai and Leo looked at each other and for several moments said nothing. There was so much to ponder already; the muddled past, perilous present, and uncertain future. Karai finally looked down at her hands where they lay in her lap. Without a word she leaned over and rested her head upon Leo's right shoulder. He wasn't sure if she seemed more melancholy, pensive, or just plain exhausted; he gently lifted his arm from beneath her head and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side. She draped her arm across his waist, laid her cheek against his plastron, and closed her eyes.

"You were right, Leo," she whispered in a barely audible voice. "You were right…about everything."

His arm tightened around her.

"You deserve to know the truth."

She looked up at him; with his left hand he reached up to gently stroke her hair. "I know the last few days have been crazy for you. But I want you to know that I'm here for you, _no matter what,_ and I always will be." She closed her eyes once more and nuzzled his plastron.

"…I love you, Karai."

Karai flinched; a pang of pain shot across her face and through her heart.

Shredder's approval always had to be earned, and so she poured her heart and soul into gaining his sparse words and meager nods of praise. It was never enough. Her heart had been so starved for affection that it was now a desert, and Leo was a river – pure, deep, and strong – immersing her parched soul so suddenly and thoroughly with his unadulterated love for her that it was still difficult to absorb. Her fingers found the edges of his shell and gripped them tightly. Leo held her even closer, nearly crushing her to his side, but Karai didn't mind.

 _NEVER let me go._

"Hellooo…anybody home…?" a voice called out from the lair's entrance. Karai stiffened. _Is that who I think it is…?_

"Hey, April," Leo replied, looking over his shoulder at the approaching red-headed teen. "Splinter's in the kitchen and the rest of the guys are setting up security cameras in the sewers." _What's she gonna think…?_ he wondered as she continued her approach.

April nodded. "Yeah, I know…I called Donnie when I got out of school and he told me. He also asked me if I had any old clothes or things I wanted to get rid of, and to bring them with me the next time I came down here…" She held up a tattered looking canvas duffle bag, lumpy from being stuffed with clothing. "I'm not really sure why he asked, but I was going to donate this stuff this weekend, anyway…"

Her voice trailed off as her footsteps stopped at the edge of the "couch". April's light blue eyes went wide. There was Karai, wrapped in Leo's arms and looking rather worse for the wear. Her body suit was still dirty and torn, her face scraped and bruised, and her eyes, now cutting over to the newly arrived visitor, bloodshot from exhaustion and previously shed tears. April blinked.

"…Oh… …Gotcha." _That explains the request for teenaged girl clothing._

Karai sat up slowly as April glanced at Leo's injuries. "Wow, what happened to you? You get hit by a bus?"

"No…just a collapsed stage."

April arched a brow. "Not sure how that happened, but…oookay…"

"Long story."

Her eyes went back to Karai. She waved nervously. "H-hey, Karai…uh, nice to see you again…"

Karai gave her a look that said _cut the crap._ April's mouth closed. Leo glanced between the two females. "It's okay, April…Karai knows the truth now." Karai's eyes went wide with surprise as April suddenly beamed at her. "Really?! That's so great! Wow, Splinter's long-lost daughter…I bet he's _thrilled_ to have you here…"

"Honey! We're home!" Mikey suddenly yelled, his voice echoing off the concrete floors and walls. He, Raph, and Donnie were all striding into the lair, looking worn out, but accomplished. "We kicked major Foot-bot-booty, and finished setting up –"

"-A highly complex network of motion sensors and high definition cameras –" Donnie interrupted with a finger in the air.

"-In the sewers," April finished, grinning at Donnie's very sweet, and very obvious, attempt to impress her. "You already, told me, remember?"

Donnie blushed. "Oh…right."

Leo stood up, facing his brothers. "Sorry for not helping you guys finish up."

Mikey waved his hands. "Don't worry about it, bro. We totally had it covered."

Splinter re-entered the room just then, carrying a bamboo tray laden with a cast iron teapot, two porcelain cups, and a plate of nori-wrapped onigiri. His eyebrows rose as he approached the teenaged throng. "Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael – I am glad you have returned safely. You completed your mission?"

The three turtles bowed toward him. "Hai, Sensei."

"April, always good to see you. Will Casey be joining us today?"

"Not today, Master Splinter. He has hockey practice."

Behind April's back, Donnie pumped his fist exuberantly and silently mouthed, _Yesssss!_ Raph rolled his eyes at his smitten brother. _Ugh, now Don AND Leo are both a couple of love-sick puppies._

Splinter suddenly turned his attention upon Karai. "My daughter…" Her heart did another flip-flop at his kindly spoken words. "…You need to rest. April, perhaps you would show Karai to your former sleeping quarters?" Karai arched a brow. "I don't want to take her old room…"

April shook her head. "It was only a temporary arrangement, when I was in too much danger from the Kraang AND the Foot…" She stopped short. "Uh, I mean…"

Karai snickered. "Don't worry about it. I'm not after you…anymore."

Leo took Karai's hand, breaking the playful, yet fierce, tension building between the two feisty kunoichi. "C'mon, Karai…we'll both show you where it is."

April led the way, still toting the duffle, followed by Leo, Karai, and Splinter. They went into the dojo and turned toward the dark wood and white paper folding screens on the left side of the room; when pulled to the side, they revealed a recess in the concrete walls, the size of a small bedroom. On a wide concrete shelf lay a black futon mattress, the only furnishing in the otherwise bare space.

April set the duffle bag on the floor, leaning it against the make-shift bed. She turned toward Karai with a surprisingly warm smile. "I know it doesn't look like much, but it's really not that bad. I mean, at least it's super safe here, surrounded by friends…and family…"

Karai tiredly replied, "It's fine."

April moved toward the screened-off entrance. "I'll get you some blankets and a pillow…be right back."

In the meantime, Splinter had set the tray on the foot of the "bed", poured the tea, and handed Leo and Karai each a cup. "Please, drink, eat, and rest. It will be dark in a few hours, but so long as the security cameras do not show any cause for alarm, you both are free to get as much sleep as you need to recover from your injuries." He swiftly shot a deadly gaze at Leo that said, _Sleeping SEPARATELY, of course._ Leo gulped and gave a single, nervous, nod.

 _NEVER cross the protective father of a teenaged daughter, ESPECIALLY when he's a ninja master._

Splinter walked to Karai and slowly, cautiously, wrapped his arms about her shoulders in a brief hug. She sighed and rested her forehead against his chest. _I've gotten more affection in the last twenty-four hours than I have in the rest of my life, up to now._

Splinter released her from his arms and looked down at her for several moments.

"Karai, I…"

Her expression softened as she looked into his warm, fatherly gaze.

"I know, Father."

His eyes saddened, but he smiled lovingly, turned, and left without another word.

As soon as he left, Karai sat on the bed, her shoulders slumped. Leo sat beside her.

"Karai…you okay…?"

Her hands trembled feebly. Leo quickly took the cup from her grasp, set his and hers back on the tray, and moved to kneel on the floor before her so he could look up into her fatigued face. He placed his hands on her knees.

"Karai…please, you need to eat or drink something…you haven't eaten in two days…"

She looked down into his deep blue eyes, so full of concern; her chin trembled, but her lips pursed stubbornly. "Neither have you…"

"I'll be fine."

Those cobalt-colored pools of devotion drew her in, deeper and deeper until she found she was leaning forward and weakly pressing her lips to his. Leo, still kneeling, straightened to eagerly press his mouth more firmly up to hers; he cupped her jaw with both hands, slid his fingers into her hair, and pulled her even closer. Both his touch and kiss were delicate and tender, his desire for being near her undimmed, but his respect for her feelings (confused and stretched thin in the last few days) far outweighing his yearning for her.

As their lips moved together with soft, slow cohesion, he began to notice his cheeks felt wet; opening his eyes, he saw that Karai's were shut tight, her face twisted with pain. She was doing her best not to blubber all over him as he silently communicated the depth of his affection for her. Leo reluctantly pulled his lips away from hers; the moment he did, she threw herself into his arms.

Kneeling together on the cold floor, Karai clung to Leo as if for dear life. He wished his arms could protect her from every fear, every threat, and every doubt she now had to face in this strange new life. All he could do was hold her tight, wordlessly promising her that he would _never_ let her go. Her elegant frame shuddered and shook with sobs, but Leo was a stalwart anchor of faithfulness and devotion she could tie herself to in the coming storms.

When Karai was nearly spent, Leo moved to sit back against the concrete shelf of a bed and pulled her weary form into his lap. She lay against him, too exhausted to protest as he reached up and grabbed a cup of tea, bringing it to her lips and prompting her to take a few sips. In like manner he placed one of the seaweed-wrapped triangles of rice into her hands, helped raise her hands to her mouth, and urged her to eat a few bites. The meager nourishment was just enough to calm her and give her the energy to crawl up unto the mattress where she immediately collapsed. Leo stood over her and brushed her hair back from her face.

"You're going to be okay, Karai. No matter what comes…I'll face it with you."

Leo glanced over his shoulder. _Wasn't April supposed to come back with a blanket…?_ He suddenly noticed a neatly folded, navy blue blanket and pillow stacked near the room's entrance. _…Oh. She must have brought them by when Karai and I were…_ He blushed.

Leo retrieved the downy objects and gingerly lifted Karai's head to place the pillow beneath it; the blanket he quickly spread over her form, already fast asleep. He looked down at her for several minutes, cherishing every moment he got to spend in her presence, until finally he turned to leave. Karai's hand shot out and grasped his wrist; Leo nearly yelped from shock. Her face was turned up, her golden eyes open and fearfully searching his.

"Leo, please…don't leave me…"

Leo swallowed. "I won't, Karai."

He knelt upon the floor once more, with one hand holding hers and the other lovingly brushing her cheek.

"I promise…I'll stay here all night."

A tear rolled down her cheek to be absorbed by the pillow; her eyes closed, and she sank back into slumber. Leo rested his head on the pillow beside hers, her black bangs brushing his forehead. His voiced whispered, just before he drifted off to sleep:

"Oyasumi watashi no ai."

...

...

...

Earlier that morning, just after dawn, two mutants had marched sullenly into Shredder's throne room. Bradford's blackened skin, and Xever's brightly colored magenta scales, made the aftereffects of Mikey's ghost pepper grenades much harder to see, but they both looked irritable and sore as they shuffled toward their enthroned master.

"You two look terrible," Shredder's deep voice echoed. They hung their heads in shame.

"Forgive us, Master," Xever said as they both knelt. "But Karai got away."

"She's definitely turned against you, though," Bradford added.

Shredder raised a hand. "Enough. I already know all this."

The two lieutenants blinked. "How?"

"I had Stockman dispatch several of his M.O.U.S.E.R.s to relay a direct video feed back to me so I could watch the ambush. It might have been more successful had the other turtles not joined the fight."

Bradford nodded. "So you want us to search the city, above and below, for Karai's signal until she's found, right?"

"Not exactly. I told Stockman to turn off her tracker until nightfall."

Xever and Bradford looked perplexed.

Shredder arched a brow at his best followers. "If we captured one of the turtles, what would be the first thing we'd do to him?"

"I suppose…search him thoroughly for any hidden weapons…or tracking devices," Xever answered, looking as if a lightbulb just turned on in his head.

"Exactly. I want to find Karai…but just as importantly, I want to find the Hamato lair – and Splinter," Shredder growled. "Leaving the device off for now will lull them into a false sense of security, which may lead them to let their guard down."

The mutants nodded appreciatively at Shredder's foresight.

"Once she is below ground, the signal will be much more difficult to lock onto," he continued. "But come nightfall, this entire city, and the tunnels and sewers below it, will be swarming with our robotic soldiers. They will ALL attempt to remotely turn Karai's tracker back on. As soon as one of them is in close enough proximity to her, it will reactivate the device…"

Shredder grinned cruelly behind his face-shield.

"…And every bot in our forces will go straight toward it."

…

…

…

…


	13. Compromised

**.**

 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 13 – Compromised**

 **...**

 **Hello! Sorry this took so long;**

 **finally had a chance to write after the holidays!**

 **Happy New Year!**

 ** **Please let me know what you think.****

 ** **And, as always, thanks for reading!****

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"Hey, April…you want some anchovies on your waffles?"

"Ugh! That's disgusting, Mikey!"

"Picky, picky, picky. How 'bout some pepperoni instead?"

"On waffles? Really?!"

"Sure, why not?"

"Uh…I think I'll pass on the toppings. Got any plain, regular, non-weird-flavored syrup?"

"Does jalapeno-maple count as non-weird?"

"Nope."

"…Then, no, we don't have any; I just poured the last of the pickled jalapeno slices in there. Mmm, mmm, _spicy!"_

"…Okaaaaay… Guess it's just butter for me, then…"

It had only been a few hours since the ninja brothers had returned home from securing the sewers and gone to bed; it was just after sunset, but breakfast was already in full swing, with Mikey dishing out the weirdest waffles April had ever seen as they all chatted together about recent events. The banter stopped short, however, when Leo entered the kitchen, sniffing the air and rubbing his eyes.

"Mmmm. Do I smell…pepperoni waffles?"

The commotion in the room halted. His brothers all stared at him; April stood up from her stool, turned to face him, and put her hands on her hips. "So, Leo, did you sleep well?"

Leo looked at her blankly. "Um… It was only for a few hours, but…yeah, I guess?"

"That's funny, 'cause you never made it to bed… _your_ bed, that is."

Leo scoffed. "What, you're mad because I fell asleep _kneeling_ beside Karai? Trust me, it was NOT comfortable, and we didn't do anyth-"

"That's not what it looked like when I brought that pillow and blanket to her room."

Donnie and Raph scowled. Leo blushed. Mikey beamed.

"Oooh, spill the beans, April! What did you see?!"

"Oh, nothing, really, just Karai and Leo's faces smashed togeth-"

"WOWWW, I am STARVING!" Leo yelled over April's voice and strode toward Mikey, who was manning the waffle iron. "Got enough batter to make some for me?"

 _Sometimes I am SO glad Mikey is super ADD…it makes it so much easier to change the subject when he's around,_ Leo thought as his brother began happily pouring batter into the iron and listing all of the pizza toppings he'd gathered for their (somewhat unconventional) breakfast. When he at last sat down at the kitchen island to enjoy his anchovy-pepperoni waffles drenched in jalapeno-maple syrup, April sat on the stool beside him. They sat in silence for several minutes as Leo ate before April finally voiced her thoughts.

"So… Karai still asleep?"

"She was when I left."

"…How is she?"

"I think she's a mix of…confused, upset, and content."

April glanced at him. "That's understandable, given the circumstances."

"Yeah."

Leo ate in silence for several more minutes while April pondered.

"Leo…? Do you think she's…you know…here to stay?"

This time Leo shot April a guarded glance. "What makes you ask?"

"Well, lots of reasons. I mean, she just learned a TON of new information in the last, what, twelve hours or so? Her world has been turned completely upside-down; the people she thought were her enemies are now her allies, and the people she thought were her allies are now her enemies. I can totally see her being hesitant to wholeheartedly join the team."

Leo stared thoughtfully at April. "You may be right about her…hesitation…but I think she'll come around. She just needs a little time."

"I hope you're right. Karai would make a great addition." April smiled, and Leo returned the expression. She suddenly punched him in his unwounded bicep.

"You're lucky that you've been through a lot in the last couple of days."

"Uh…why is that?"

"Because I've decided NOT to tell your brothers what I saw you and Karai doing in her room…yet. But trust me, when I do…" She grinned.

Leo smirked. "….There'll be hell to pay. Yeah, yeah, I know. But thanks for sparing me the grief, for now, anyway."

"No problem, but you owe me big ti-"

A loud beeping noise cut through all the chewing and chatting; every turtle quickly pulled out his T-phone and looked at its screen. April followed suit. Donnie exclaimed, "Awesome! The new sewer security system works!"

"Sewer security system…" Mikey mused before snapping his fingers. "I've got it! Let's call it 'Triple S'!"

April arched a brow. "So I'm guessing these little red dots on the map are…?"

"…Motion sensors that have detected large movements in the sewers."

"Wait, no, S.S.S. sounds like a snake's hiss, so let's just call it 'Snake'!"

"There are so many!" April exclaimed.

"Yeah…looks like we're going to have to cut breakfast short," Leo replied.

"Or, we could just call it 'hissss'…"

"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's kick some robo-butt." Raph rose from his seat and moved toward the door.

"Hang on…" Donnie said, squinting and peering closely at his phone's small screen. "So many sensors have activated… I wish I could get a better look at their overall movements… It's hard to tell on the t-phones, but I think they might be moving in an organized…" He stood up so quickly his stool fell backwards and clattered to the floor. "Guys, come to my lab, quickly!" he called over his shoulder as he ran out the door. The others shrugged and followed him.

"Wait, I've got it! Let's call it…Essie!"

Mikey looked around the empty kitchen.

"…Hey, guys…wait for me!"

In the lab, Donnie was sitting at his desk, craning his neck so far forward that his face was almost touching the computer monitor. Illuminated on the screen was a map of the sewers with glowing red dots flashing all over it; the same map as their t-phones, but much larger. Donnie scratched his head as his brothers and crush gathered around and looked over his shoulders.

"This gives us an expanded view, allowing us to see all of their movements in the entire sewer system at once. Our t-phones can only show the area around our current location within a 100 yard radius."

April, who stood almost directly behind Donnie, placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned closer to the screen. Donnie's face turned a color that nearly matched his mask as she spoke right next to his ear, "Wow, they're everywhere! But how could you tell if they _were_ making an organized attack? Don't these sensors just show which passages have movement in them, but not necessarily where the bots are heading?"

"Y-you're right," Donnie stammered, suddenly nervous at April being so close, "But once a sensor no longer detects any movement, it stops flashing on the screen. Based on where the sensors are turning on, then off, I can tell which direction our enemies are going. And right now, it seems that they're moving in a pattern. See how evenly spaced they are? They're definitely making a thorough, methodical search of the sewers."

April straightened. "These guys just don't give up, do they?"

"If by 'they' you mean 'Shredder', then no, they don't," Leo sneered.

"Well, we all know what comes next," Raph stepped forward almost gleefully, pounding one fist into his open palm. "It's another 'all-you-can-beat-buffet', and I'm _still_ hungry!"

Mikey pouted. "I thought you said you were already stuffed with my homemade waffles."

Raph smirked. "When it comes to Foot-bot-beat-downs, I've ALWAYS got room for more."

In minutes the ninja were all geared up and ready to go. Donnie was fiddling with his t-phone, Mikey was doing some warm-up moves with his nunchaku (and his trademark "booyakashas"), Raphael was straightening the sai in his belt and tucking a few extra throwing stars and smoke bombs at his sides, and April was brandishing her tessen, practicing drawing it from her belt and opening it instantly (reminiscent of a gunslinger). Donnie suddenly looked up at her and blinked.

"April…um, what're you doing?"

"Warming up, of course. I want to practice the new moves Splinter taught me last week, and tonight's battle is the perfect opportunity!" she said eagerly.

Donnie rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry; I should've made this clear earlier, but…I really need you to stay here."

April balked. "What?! Why?! I'm not totally helpless, you know! I'm a member of this team, right?! I can help out there!"

Donnie attempted to assuage her anger with a hurried explanation. "No, no, you're right, you ARE a member of the team and you're NOT helpless, it's just that I have something I REEEEEALLY need you to do for me! It's important!"

She folded her arms across her chest and scowled, tapping her fingers impatiently upon her forearm.

"Remember the map I showed you on the computer screen in my lab? It displays the ENTIRE sewer system at once, instead of the tiny portion of it that our t-phones can show. I need you to be our 'eyes in the sky', so-to-speak… If you can keep an eye on all the sewers, and sensors, at once, you can keep an eye out for the enemy's movements, patterns, see where they're coming from and if they have a particular destination or if they're making random searches… We could _really_ use some extra surveillance on this mission. And, what's more, I'm not asking you NOT to fight...just to stay here. After all, they're looking for _this place._ If they happen to find it, you WILL have to fight, to protect yourself, our home…and Karai."

April's expression softened…a little.

"After all, she is the one they're looking for, right?"

Her eyes narrowed.

" _FINE._ I'll let you know if I discover anything from their movements."

"Great, thank-you SO-"

"But NEXT time, I am COMING WITH YOU, and don't even THINK about leaving me behind!" She marched up to Donnie and poked him hard in the plastron. He gulped at the fiery red-head looking him straight in the eye.

 _Ohmygosh, she's SO adorable – and hot – when she's mad…_

"GOT IT?!"

"…G-got it."

…

Karai stretched, yawned, and opened her eyes. The ceiling was solid concrete. She stared at it and licked her dry lips. Her stomach snarled viciously.

… _Where am I again…?_

She turned her head to look toward the doorway and saw the folding rice-paper screens, the wood paneled walls and carpeted floor of the room beyond, a leafy branch of the tree growing in the dojo…

… _Right. I'm at Leo's home._

She froze mid-stretch.

 _I mean…MY home._

Her sleepy eyes stung as they suddenly watered.

 _I'm home._

She lay motionless for several minutes, remembering all that had happened, and changed, in the last two days. _I was Leo's enemy…then his…girlfrenemy?…and now, like a weird stepsibling thing is happening…but not quite? I don't know what to make of the family situation here, even if I'm not a blood relative of the turtles._ She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. _I don't even have the brain power to think about that right now. I am STARVING._ She sat up sluggishly and swung her feet over the side of the bed, standing slowly, not entirely trusting the steadiness of her legs given the severity of her exhaustion and hunger. _What do they have to eat around here, anyway? Splinter…I mean, my father…did make onigiri for Leo and I earlier…but what about the turtles? I hope they at least eat human food…not some weird turtle diet, like algae…and worms…_ She shuddered at the thought.

Her soft footsteps led her into the lair's living area; she furrowed her brow in thought. _I think the kitchen is…this way…_ She meandered in the guessed direction and was rewarded with the smell of fresh-made waffles as she entered the kitchen. Dishes covered in half-eaten waffles and…pizza toppings? were left haphazardly on the island, counters, and in the sink. She arched a brow. _Well, this ALMOST looks like normal food…_

Finding an untouched waffle on a plate near the now-cool iron, she picked it up, sniffed it, and began munching on it as she wandered back out into the living room. _Not half bad,_ she thought, _though it could use some syrup._ Her eyes quickly glanced around the room. _Where is Leo, anyway? He said he'd stay with me…_

"Donnie, there are more ahead of you, in that same passage."

Karai's ears perked at the familiar voice drifting faintly from the huge lab nearby. _More of what?_ she wondered, turning her path toward the sound.

"What? …Yes, I'm sure. You can't see them on your t-phone yet, but they're there. The video feed clearly shows three Foot-bots heading your way."

 _Foot-bots…_

Karai frowned.

 _It's another of Shredder's attempts to find me…and exact revenge on the one who revealed the truth to me._

She nearly crushed the waffle in her hand.

 _Leo._

"…See? Told you so. …Alright. Yes, I'll check in with you if I see any patterns. …Yup. …Okay, bye."

Karai moved silently into the lab as April ended the call.

 _Sneaking up on this wanna-be kunoichi should be a cinch,_ she grinned to herself. Her eyes remained focused on the back of April's head as she inched her way closer, step by step, until she was standing right behind her. She raised a hand to tug on April's ponytail and give her a good scare.

"Hey, Karai. What're you doing up so early?"

Karai nearly hit the ceiling.

She came down sputtering, her heart racing with adrenaline.

"April… _how did you even know I was here?!"_

April turned around and smiled innocently. "I just get a feeling sometimes. You know?"

Karai scowled. _I nearly had a heart attack, because you got a 'feeling'?_ "Yeah, sure."

April grinned and turned back to the screen. With a click of the mouse, she switched the display from a series of live camera feeds to an overall map of the sewers with small red dots flashing all over it. Karai leaned to one side to see around her.

"Is that how many Foot-bots my fath – I mean, Shredder – has looking for me right now?"

April shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. This just shows which motion sensors have been activated where. Each of these passages could have several, or even a dozen, bots in them."

"So…you're running surveillance while the turtles fight out there?"

April glanced sharply over her shoulder. "Hey, it's not like I _wanted_ to stay behind, but Donnie needs me to keep an eye on all of the enemy's movements at once. We need more info; it'll help us see what their main point of entry into the sewers is, if they seem to know where the lair is or if they're still randomly probing to find it, yadda yadda…"

Karai finished her cold waffle and brushed the crumbs off her hands.

"Where's Leo?"

April's eyes narrowed slightly as she turned back to the screen. "You sure don't beat around the bush, do you?" With another click the red dots disappeared and four, labeled dots appeared on the map; blue, purple, red, and orange. She pointed to the blue dot on the screen. "There he is. He went northwest."

"Can you give me some way to track him?"

"You want to meet up with him?"

Karai nodded.

"Sure, Donnie's always got extra t-phones lying around here, somewhere." April turned away from the monitor and began digging through a cardboard box near the desk. "Ah, here's one. Let me turn it on for you, and set it up to track Leo's phone." Karai watched her tapping on the phone screen for several moments.

"April?"

"Uh-huh?"

"…Why are you being so…you know…helpful? Do you actually trust me? I mean, after everything I did to you…"

April didn't look up from the phone. "I may not like what happened in the past…I mean, I seriously _hated_ you for it…but, you were kidnapped as an infant and brainwashed by an evil mastermind. I guess I can't really blame you for all that stuff; it was actually Shredder. Besides…we do have some things in common already…"

"Such as…?"

April took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "We've both lost our mothers."

Karai inhaled briskly.

April continued to meet her gaze calmly. _I haven't forgotten our first fight, Karai… I remember how I caught you off guard when I told you I lost my mother; how I took advantage of your surprise and threw you down the subway stairs…_ She stifled a mischievous grin at the memory.

They stared at each other for several more seconds before April went back to setting up Karai's new phone.

"There…done." She turned the screen toward Karai and handed it to her. "Obviously, the blue dot is Leo. Follow the arrows and you'll find him."

Karai nodded and slid the phone into her belt, then turned to leave. "I have to get my sword, then I'll be on my way. After all, he promised he wouldn't leave me…" She smirked back at April. "When we finish fighting the bots, I'll have to kick _his_ butt for breaking his word."

April warily watched the older, taller kunoichi walk to the doorway, and pause.

"April…"

"Hm?"

"…Thanks."

…

 _Wow…for someone as worn out and scratched up as Karai is, she's making REALLY good time._

It had been several minutes since Karai left the lab to arm herself; after that, April had watched as a black dot outlined in white swiftly moved across the screen, following various tunnels and passages to close the gap between it and the blue dot labeled "Leo". April smiled to herself.

 _They're clearly in love; I bet she can't WAIT to fight alongside him._

… _And I hope we really can trust her._

April yawned and leaned forward in her seat, resting her chin in her hands and propping her elbows up on Donnie's desk. The black and white dot had nearly reached the blue one. _This is getting boring,_ she thought, and lazily reached over to the mouse to toggle between the current image and the one of the map with the blinking red lights. _Hmm…not as many dots as there were before…that's good…_

Suddenly, she was wide awake; she bolted upright in her seat.

The red lights had indeed changed in formation; instead of a widely scattered array, they were now beginning to concentrate around a certain area on the map.

… _It's…the northwest quadrant._

She clicked back to the previous image. The blue and black dots were a mere inch apart, and they happened to be in the eye of the red storm about to envelop them.

April pulled out her phone as fast as she could, nearly dropping it in the hurried process, and made a call on speed-dial.

"Pick up, Donnie…pick up, pick up, _pick up…"_

"Hey, April? Did you find anyth-"

"Shut-up, Donnie!"

"Wha-?"

"We have a _SERIOUS_ problem."

…

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	14. Cornered

**.**

 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 14 – Cornered**

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 **I do not own TMNT.**

 **...**

 **Hello! I tried to get this chapter written**

 **a little quicker, lol.**

 **Sorry to keep readers waiting so long.**

 **I hope you like it; please let me know what you think!**

 **And, as always, Thanks for reading! ^_^**

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 **...**

 _If Leo's still alive when I get there…I'm gonna KILL him!_

Adrenaline surged through Raphael's limbs as he ran; the grip of his hands on his twin sai was vice-like. The sound of his feet splashing in the murky water of the sewer echoed and ricocheted along the walls into the dimly lit corridor ahead of him and followed behind. But it was nothing compared to the roaring in his ears, the rhythmic pulsing of blood rushing past his eardrums, drowning out all other noise.

 _I KNEW something like this would happen! Maybe she snuck a tiny, hand-held transmitter into the lair and hid it somewhere while Donnie checked the rest of her gear…_

Raphael had been trashing a trio of Foot-bots when Donnie's call came through. As soon as he'd finished dismantling them, he answered, and was somewhat surprised to hear the turtle-genius speaking urgently to all of the brothers at the same time in a four-way call. The hasty conversation replayed in his mind as he ran.

" _Guys! It's me."_

" _Duh, we have caller I.D…."_

" _Be quiet, there's no time for that!"_

" _What?! I was just…"_

" _Raph, just shut-up and listen! We-"_

" _WHAT?! If you think you can talk to me like that and get away with it…"_

" _KARAI IS BEING TRACKED!"_

"…"

" _Dude, are you sure? I thought you said she was clean?"_

" _I WAS sure, Mikey! I don't know how this is happening, but April just told me that Karai left the lair a little while ago to meet up with Leo, and now every bot that was in the sewers before is making a bee-line straight for her AND Leo."_

" _Karai's on her way here, now? Which way is she coming? I have to get to her-"_

" _April said Karai was about to reach you when she called; you should see her any second now, Leo. She's tracking your phone with hers."_

" _Then I'll track hers with mine so I can get to her quicker. Gotta go."_

" _Leo, wait!"_

 _Click._

" _How is this possible, Donnie? You checked her! Did she hide something from you?! Was there something you missed?!"_

" _Hey, if you wanna accuse me of overlooking something, then fine, but DO IT LATER! Right now we have to get to them – Leo and Karai are surrounded and they're about to get clobbered!"_

" _FINE! I'm on my way!"_

" _Same here, dudes! Mikey, OUT!"_

Raph had just growled and hung up.

As he'd begun running, he did notice that the sewers were suddenly and oddly empty where before there had been dozens of bots searching every passage. He'd increased his pace, pushing himself to sprint as fast as his legs could go. _I'm not slowing down or stopping until I get there to kick some shell!_

But that had been over 20 minutes ago.

He snarled to himself as he ran.

 _Of all the places to be when something this big hits the fan, why did_ **I** _have to be the farthest away from all the action? What if the guys need me? Why did I have to pick the East, the opposite direction from Leo?_

 _And most of all…WHY is Karai being tracked? Is this all a part of her plan? She was on her way to Leo when this all started... …Is she trying to take him out while the rest of us aren't around? I bet Shredder would love that. Is she playing both sides?_

 _Can we really trust her?_

 _And, most of all, no matter which side she's on…is she gonna steal Leo away from us?_

He ground his teeth together. Truth be told, he was afraid of his older brothers' crushes – Karai AND April – splitting up his family more than anything else.

 _They say we're a team…but I bet if April batted her eyes at Donnie just once, he'd drop everything and do whatever she wanted, follow her wherever she went like the pathetic, love-sick puppy-nerd he is… And Leo? He's even worse than DONNIE now, and that's really saying something. Maybe Karai ISN'T bad…at least, not as bad as she used to be…but that doesn't mean she won't try to take Leo away from us. Well, she'd better NOT try. As much as I hate to admit it…_

… _We NEED him._

Not that he'd ever tell Leo, but he really did (secretly) admire his oldest brother. Leo had the rare ability to remain calm and think clearly under pressure; to strategize before, and more importantly DURING, a battle; and when things got especially dangerous, he always put himself in the most perilous position rather than risk the lives of his brothers. Sometimes he was just so noble and selfless it made Raph want to puke.

Yet he was always afraid that one of these days, Leo's self-sacrificing ways really would lead to his own slaughter.

Raph had been staring blankly ahead as he ran, lost in thought and the rhythm of his pounding, splashing feet, when suddenly his eyes shot up toward the far end of the tunnel. It intersected another passage, from which he could distinctly hear the clamor of a battle.

 _Good! I haven't missed the WHOLE fight. They'd better be okay…_

Raph turned the corner and put on a new burst of speed for the final stretch. At the end of the tunnel was a junction where several shafts merged, creating a small chamber with openings on all four sides; dim red lights overhead cast the space in a hellish glow. Without slowing, his eyes quickly took in the situation as he entered the cramped battleground: Donnie was positioned on the left, fighting a steady stream of bots as they attempted to enter the area from the south-facing passage; Mikey had hooked the blade of his kusarigama onto a pipe running along the ceiling and was swinging like a pendulum around the circumference of the entire room, striking any bot that got in his way; and Leo and Karai stood in the middle, back-to-back, fighting together just as effortlessly and beautifully as they had the night before. Raph bared his teeth and growled.

 _Yup…I knew it. Leo's a goner._

He could see straight down the passage across from him; several Foot-bots were running down it to join the fight, so Raph spun the sai in his hands, dashed toward the bots, and let out a roar as he sank the steel prongs into the face of the nearest bot. Pink sparks flew as it crumpled into a pile of cloth-covered metal. He pulled his weapons free and ducked beneath a club as it swung toward his head.

"Hey! Nice of you to finally join us!" Mikey called to Raph impishly as he swung past, taking two Foot-bots out from behind his brother as he went by.

"Whatever; you didn't have to sprint across ALL of Manhattan to get here!" he retorted. "Nice of you to leave plenty of bots for me…guess you guys couldn't handle 'em all on your own, huh?"

"Well, we all know how you love the smell of smoke bombs in the morning," Mikey winked from across the room as he knocked a few more bots off their feet. Raph chuckled and turned back to the fight.

 _Finally! I get to blow off some steam,_ he thought, grinning wickedly as he threw himself wholeheartedly into the fray. While Mikey stayed on top of the entire perimeter, Donnie focused on the passage from which most of their enemies were currently approaching, and Leo and Karai continuously mopped up any bots that actually made it into the intersection, Raph was like a ninja pinball, darting to and fro wherever he was needed (or rather, wherever he could get into a scrap). _I don't see why those two are so obsessed with those chicks, anyway,_ he mused while tearing the arm off a bot and beating it over the head with its own detached limb. _I mean, what could be more fun than kicking tail and taking names? We're supposed to be heroes…not Romeos…_

… _Ugh. Don and Leo are so lame._

"Raph!"

Raphael punched the head off a bot and turned toward his brother. "What?!"

"Come here and cover this tunnel for me!"

He dodged and flipped his way through the mayhem to stand beside Donnie.

"Glad to, but I thought you had this covered?"

"I need to call April and get an update on the situation. If these bots don't stop swarming soon, we're going to have to come up with a new strategy for dealing with them."

"So you want me to cover your butt just so you can call your _girlfriend?"_

"Hey! She's NOT my girlfriend, and I'm not calling her for a _chat._ I-"

"Oh, you're not? Why don't you stand there and tell me about it some more while I DO YOUR JOB FOR YOU?!"

Donnie glared at Raph but, knowing that arguing with the hothead would be pointless, placed his back to the wall where he could keep an eye on the chaos all around him. He punched a number on the t-phone screen, held the phone between his shoulder and ear, and gripped his bo staff with both hands to fend off any random attacks that might come his way during the conversation.

"Donnie? Glad you called!"

His heart skipped a beat. "Really? How come?"

"You guys are doing _great_. I know there's been a TON of bots, but I wanted to let you know that they're ALMOST gone. Hang in there for a few more waves, and you should have a break."

"A…a break?"

"Yeah! I mean, like Leo said at breakfast, Shredder doesn't give up. Even if you destroy all of these bots, there'll be more eventually, right? Sooner or later?"

Donnie frowned. "You're right, April. And now that Shredder has _somehow_ tracked Karai here, it'll probably be sooner. _Very_ soon. We might have only hours, or even minutes before the next attack comes."

"Yeah. Well, just wrap things up as fast as you can so hopefully, you guys can have more than a five-minute breather."

"Roger that. Thanks, April."

"Anytime, D."

Donnie ducked just in time for several Foot clan emblem-emblazoned throwing stars to lodge themselves in the concrete wall where his head had just been. He glanced up at them warily while ending the call. _This is just great. We're fighting to end this battle, but the war is just beginning…_

"Well? What'd your _girlfriend_ have to say?"

"Give it a REST, Raph!"

Donnie resumed fighting at Raphael's side as if he'd never stopped. Between the two of them, not a single bot got past their defense, and the influx of enemies into the junction slowed to a trickle with only one or two bots sporadically entering the fight from the other tunnels at decreased intervals.

"Is that all of them?" Mikey asked, still swinging about the room in a clockwise direction. There hadn't been any enemies for him to fight in several minutes by that time, but he was still enjoying his lofty position and began doing Tarzan impersonations to thwart his boredom.

"Looks like," Donnie said, turning away from the southern passage at last. "Haven't seen any more in a couple of minutes, and none of the sensors I can see on my t-phone map are activated."

Leo and Karai, who, while unoccupied with enemies remained vigilant and ready for battle until Donnie gave the "all clear", now turned to face the brilliant ninja as he hurriedly approached them.

"Leo, Karai…I'm sure you've already guessed what this means, right?"

They each nodded solemnly.

"I don't know how, Karai, but somehow, Shredder _must_ be tracking you."

"I know."

Donnie scratched his head. "Whatever this is, it's not as simple as we presumed. I scanned you in your clothes, and then each piece of your armor individually – nothing. No trace of hidden metal, no radio waves, no transmissions _or_ emissions of any kind, no radioactive substances…"

"You really think Shredder would do that?"

"I really don't know how far he'd go. But whatever he's pulling here, it's tricky. It's not something that will show up using normal testing methods."

Leo instinctively reached for Karai's hand and stepped closer to Donnie, his voice low and urgent. "Well, what're we gonna do about it? How are you going to figure out what's going on here so we can put a stop to it and keep Karai safe?"

Donnie lowered his voice as well. "That's just it… As much as I hate to say it in the face of another inevitable attack, I _have_ to take Karai back to my lab to run more tests."

"But…that will mean endangering the lair! I can't do that to your home."

"I don't like it either, but we don't have a choice, Karai. Shredder is using something that flies under the usual radar. I'm not even sure what exactly I'm looking for, yet, but the only place with the necessary equipment for more extensive testing is my lab."

"Fine. Then let's get her there ASAP and start running those tests. The sooner we find out what Shredder's using on her, the sooner we can stop it."

"It may not be quite that easy, but that is the goal."

"Do what you have to. I can't live on the run forever."

Donnie nodded, and raised his voice so that Raphael and Mikey could hear. "Alright, everyone, Karai and I are heading back to the lair. The rest of you should head that way too, but fan out. Until I know what Shredder is using to track Karai, she's going to keep emitting some kind of signal, and I won't be able to stop it. It's going to draw them _straight_ to the lair while she's there. It's up to the rest of you to guard our home while I'm running tests."

Raph stomped closer. "Are you _kidding_ me? You're taking a walking homing beacon to the lair so that Shredder can _pinpoint_ its location while you run your stupid tests?! How could you have missed this before?!"

Donnie turned on his brother sharply and looked down at him with fire in his eyes. "Raph, there is _no time for this._ Unless you want to abandon _Master Splinter's flesh and blood to Shredder,_ this is what HAS to happen. There is NO point in blaming me, or anyone else, including her. She obviously didn't know about any of this. And if she hadn't left the lair when she did to join Leo, they WOULD have found the lair by now and _overrun it._ So we should be thanking our lucky stars that she wanted to join the fight instead of sleeping in."

Raph glanced at Karai sheepishly, then looked away. Leo squeezed her hand. _If she hadn't insisted on coming to find me, fight at my side…_ He shuddered to think what could've happened. _They'd have tried to kill her in her sleep._

Karai looked determined outwardly, but inside she was bewildered. _How is this happening? I thought I'd be safe down here, with Leo… I would never have come if I'd known I'd put him, and his entire family, in danger. Shredder must have counted on this the whole time, before I even teamed up with Leo. How else could he have had these measures in place, long before I ever gave him reason to suspect me? …Unless…_

"I have an idea!" she suddenly blurted out just as Donnie had started to turn away to lead her back to the lair. She dropped Leo's hand and stepped forward. "I haven't thought about this in months, but…I know of a way that Shredder _might_ have tagged me with something, without me really knowing about it."

Donatello turned back toward her eagerly. "Go on…?! _Any_ clues could help us figure out what he's using."

She nodded. "A while ago, he ordered me to spar with several Foot-bots as a training exercise. There's nothing strange about that, but this one time, he had one of the bots shoot me in the neck with a blow gun…"

"But, I _know_ that I checked your neck!" Donnie interrupted. "There was nothing there."

She shook her head. "I know, but the thing is…when the dart pierced my skin, it felt like cold liquid went into my neck. At first I was afraid it might be poison, but I couldn't think of anything I'd done to upset Shredder _that_ much. He assured me it was just water; a lesson in keeping my guard up, and not giving the enemy even the _tiniest_ opening."

Donnie held his chin, looking puzzled. "Hmm…that is interesting. So, it probably was something in liquid form…the question is, what? There are a myriad of substances it could have been…but there's still only one way to be sure. C'mon…the sooner we get to the lab, the sooner we figure out how to stop this."

Karai promptly looked to Leo, her eyes full of regret. "I'm sorry…"

Before she could blink, Leo grabbed the back of her neck, pulled her close, pressed his lips to hers, and released her. She blinked. He grinned, but his voice was dead serious. _"Don't_ apologize."

Behind her back, Raph pretended to hurl.

She half-smiled at Leo. "Alright. Just…be careful."

"You too."

"Karai…? You coming? We really gotta move…"

"I'm right behind you."

…

One hour later there were a dozen vials of blood in a stand on Donnie's black lab table. Several petri dishes and microscope slides were also scattered on its dark surface. Karai was sitting on a stool and applying firm pressure to a gauze pad in the crook of her left elbow, her eyes watching the mutant closely as he carefully labeled and reexamined all of the blood and tissue samples he'd taken.

"Think you've got enough there?" She scanned the array. "You've basically got another me to experiment on."

"Well, since I don't know what it is I'm looking for, I need to make sure I have enough to run all kinds of tests. We don't know how long this will take, either."

"How long _do_ you think it'll take to find the answer, if you had to guess?"

"I really can't say. It might only take a day if I'm lucky and happen to run the correct test first; if I don't then who knows. Days, or maybe even a week or more."

Karai frowned. "So…how are we supposed to stay safe in the meantime? I mean, _all_ of us? Just continue to patrol the sewers day and night until you find the solution?"

"No, we can't do that." Donnie turned toward his computer and began tapping quickly on the keyboard. "I've thought of something that I think will keep you, and everyone, safe, though you may not like it…"

Karai rose from the stool and walked over to stand behind him, peering over his shoulder at the monitor. "Is that a…a mine…?"

He nodded. "Right now, I don't know how to stop the signal you're currently transmitting. Our only hope would be to _block_ the signal, but I don't have a good way to do that here – yet." He brought up a map on the screen. "The best plan I can come up with is to get you out of the city, and DEEP underground. It's almost certain that Shredder has a GPS set up to track your movements above ground, but go deep enough and it'll be useless."

"Okaaaaaay…. But how do I get out of the city without being tracked? Shredder will just have me followed wherever I go until the signal disappears, and by then he'll know where I'm hiding…"

"Remember the stealth bike? You know, the one Leo used to save you that time you fell from the Kraang stealth ship?"

She arched a brow and stifled a smile, but nodded. _How could I forget the first time Leo held me in his arms, and lap?_

"The shields that can be raised to cover the entire topside of the bike are lead plated. They'll block the signal, but only _vertically._ You and Leo can use the stealth bike to get out of the city undetected by the GPS; however, the signal could still be picked up horizontally."

 _Leo AND I…?_ "In other words…"

"Ground forces. Individual bots that are ground level with you could still detect and track the signal. But, they shouldn't pose too big of a problem, IF we get going, and SOON. Raph, Mikey and I can run interference and make sure no bots in or around the city get anywhere near enough to track you."

"So…where is this mine, exactly? And are you sure it'll be safe?"

"It's a couple of hours north of the city; I'll send the coordinates to both of your t-phones. It _should_ be safe. This particular mine goes down several hundred feet; it's abandoned, but still structurally sound. I hate to say it, but you'll have to stay as _far_ from the surface as you can until I send word that it's safe to come back because I've found either a way to block OR stop the signal."

"How will you get in touch with me, then?" She crossed her arms. "If I'm too far underground to be tracked, then my phone will be out of service, too."

"Correct, but that's where Leo comes in. I'll have him go to the surface twice a day to contact me – say, 7 AM and 7 PM? I'll be able to keep you both updated on my progress, and you can let me know if you're safe or if there's anything you need."

Karai pursed her lips in thought. "Supplies?"

Don turned to her and nodded. "I'll throw enough survival gear for at least a week into a bag for you and get it on the bike. I'll check its fuel too, and make sure you're ready to go as soon as Leo gets here. I just need to call him…" He moved his hand toward the phone in his belt.

"No, don't!" Karai exclaimed, holding out a hand as if to stop him. He looked at her, surprised. She grinned. "It's just, I figured I'd call him on the way to my room. I'll fill him in, grab the bag of clothes April gave me, and meet him at the stealth bike."

Donnie gave her a sideways glance as he turned back to the computer. "Okay…if you insist. I'll get these coordinates sent to your phones now."

She nodded appreciatively. "Thanks. I owe you a lot for doing all this."

"What's family for?" When there was no reply, he smiled over his shoulder, only to find an empty lab. His brow furrowed. _She sure left in a hurry…_ He went back to typing, then pulled out his phone and started entering the coordinates for the mine. _Send._ A phone chimed in the lab behind him. "Karai…?"

"No, it's me. What're these coordinates you just sent me for, exactly?"

Donnie turned quickly and was surprised to see Leo standing in the doorway. "Leo! Sorry, I didn't expect to see you here so soon. I haven't even put the supplies on the stealth bike, yet…" He jumped up from his seat at the computer and began grabbing glow lanterns off a nearby shelf. Leo just looked puzzled.

"What're you talking about? What supplies? The stealth bike? Coordinates?"

Donnie paused and looked to his brother. "Didn't Karai call you to fill you in just now?"

A look of panic shot across Leo's face. _Oh no._ "Fill me in on what?"

"That you both need to get out of the city, ASAP, before Shredder finds her here." He went back to gathering supplies. "The coordinates are for a mine that should keep her safe from being tracked… She really didn't tell you any of this? …Did she? …Leo?" Donnie looked up from a box of MRE's he'd been fishing through, only to find his lab was once again empty.

…

After leaving the lab, Karai snuck as quietly as she possibly could into the dojo, across the carpet-strewn floor, and into her make-shift room. The tray of tea and food she and Leo had shared a few sips and bites from earlier that day still sat upon the edge of the bed. She went silently toward it and grabbed one of the cups of tea, draining it in several gulps. _I'm going to need my strength to make it out of the city undetected…and alone._

As soon as Donatello had mentioned Leo coming with her, memories of the night before last came flooding back: of Leo, lying injured and bleeding under a huge pile of planks, beams, and other debris from the collapsed stage, using his body as a shelter and shield for the woman he loved lying beneath him. Karai clenched her teeth and fists. _Forgive me, Leo. I know you'll probably hate me for this, but I CANNOT bear to put you in a position like that again. I can't, and WON'T, let you get killed for my sake. I'd never forgive myself._

Her face was grim as she bent down, lifted the duffle bag from the floor, and slung it across her back.

 _Forgive me, Leo._

She walked to the door.

 _I'm sorry._

Karai peered into the dojo, watching and waiting for the absence of any movement or sound, before stepping into the room.

 _I love you too much._

She stepped closer to the tree…that beautiful, twisted tree she had already grown to love, and was going to miss.

 _Go straight to the bike, Karai. With or without supplies…it's not worth putting others in danger. Because of you._

Her gaze lingered on those beautiful blue-green leaves that reminded her so much of…

 _Leo._

He stepped out from behind the opposite side of the tree trunk. His expression was icy cold. Her body lurched at the sight, but she met his gaze with equal steel.

For several agonizing moments, they said nothing.

His voice, grave and forceful, sent chills up her spine when at last he spoke.

"...…Where do you think _you're_ going?"

…

…

…

…


	15. Captivated

**.**

 **TMNT – Crossing the Line – Chapter 15 – Captivated**

 **...**

 **I do not own TMNT.**

 **...**

 **Woot woot!**

 **Two chapters in as many days!**

 **On a roll here! lol.**

 **Hope you enjoy it; please let me know what you think!**

 **And, as always, thanks for reading! ^_^**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

The chills Leo's voice sent through her body, originating in her spine and traveling to the very tips of her fingers and toes, left goosebumps in their wake, tingling and spreading across her skin beneath the torn, black cloth of her worn-out bodysuit. Karai suppressed the urge to shudder, and instead narrowed her eyes at him. _Don't act like you don't know, Leo. You know EXACTLY where I'm going…and you know exactly why._

Leo took a step closer to her, his arms relaxed at his sides, though she detected a slight movement in his fingers as he approached. _Tread carefully, Leo. You know what she's planning._

"Karai…we've been through all of this."

His voice, still solemn, was betrayed by the pained resolve in his eyes.

Karai watched him without moving a muscle, her eyes never leaving his.

"…Why?"

"Why what?!" she replied sharply. _I DON'T have time for this._

He moved a step closer.

"You know."

"So do you."

He stopped and regarded her. She stared back at him with tiger-like eyes.

"Karai."

She said nothing.

Leo took another step.

This time, Karai stepped back.

He froze. His fingers twitched.

Her knuckles were white, gripping the duffle strap on her shoulder.

Time, and even the air around them, stood noiseless and still, until the silence itself seemed to drown out even the sound of her own thrumming heartbeat.

They held their breath.

Like lightning from a clear sky, the pair suddenly drew their weapons in the same instant. Before the duffle she'd been holding could even hit the ground, the shock wave from their clashing swords pierced the heavy stillness and rippled through the air. The leaves above their heads quivered. Their blades, and eyes, locked, both trembling with emotion.

"Karai…why are you trying to leave me behind?" Leo said it as more of a statement than a question. _We both already know the answer_.

"Why are you asking me stupid questions, and wasting my time?" Her voice remained steady, contrary to the way his gaze made her want to quail. _Show no fear. You can do this, Karai. It's for his good._

 _It's for ALL of their good._

Summoning all her strength, she pushed forward without warning, forcing Leo to brace himself as he slid toward the tree behind him. He grimaced and pushed back.

" _Stop_ this, Karai. You already know what's going to happen."

 _Are you so sure, Leo?_ She snarled and pulled her blade free from his, flipping back in the same movement. She raised the tanto to eye level and peered at him over the cold steel.

"You're right…I do," Karai said simply.

She cried out and lunged at him, her sword overhead.

Sparks flew as he blocked her blade.

"Then why don't you tell me what you're so afraid of?" This time, his voice was filled with compassion and understanding, and she couldn't stand it. She snarled and swept his legs out from under him with a low, spinning kick.

Leo hit the ground on his shell, grunting from the impact. His eyes went wide with sudden fear, knowing she would attempt to use this opportunity to flee. Before she could take another step toward the duffle lying behind her, he grabbed her ankle and yanked hard, pulling her to the ground beside him.

Without warning he was on top of her, pinning her wrists to the floor and locking his feet around her thighs. His knees pressed into the outer sides of her hips, not allowing them an inch of movement. She glared up at him and hissed.

"Leo… _I'm warning you."_

He frowned, but spoke to her gently. "Warning me to stay away? …You know I can't do that, Karai."

He could see the anger seething in her eyes; honeyed irises filled with rage and hurt and fear on the surface, but these were only a thin layer masking such depth of passion and love for him that those fiery, golden orbs stole the breath from his lungs. He could see her eyes glistening in the warm light of the room, divulging her thoughts. Karai scowled at him, doing her best to look at him with loathing and disgust, but every effort she expended toward repelling him only made him love her more. _…Can…can she really be this afraid of…losing me?_ His heart swelled.

Leo impulsively bent down toward her, intent on capturing her lips with his and holding them prisoner until she admitted to her true fears…and desires. Karai's eyes went wide at his unexpected approach. _WHAT?! What is he thinking?!_ She knew that if he succeeded in conveying his love for her like this, she'd find her own breaking loose and meeting his with matched fervor. There was only so much she could do to hide her profound longing from its object.

As his upper body lowered toward hers, she felt the shift in his center of gravity. _Now's my chance!_ Just before her lips were seized, she pushed her feet flat onto the ground, brought her hips straight up so that they lifted his hips and legs entirely off the floor, and threw him to the side with a heave to her right. The look of surprise on Leo's face would've been quite comical under other circumstances, but she had neither the time nor mood to laugh.

Although caught off guard, he had managed to maintain his hold on her wrists; when Leo was sent onto his shell, he pulled her along with him, and she cried out landing upon his plastron. Struggling with all her might, she managed to twist and break her wrists free from his grip, scrambling back to get off of him before he could recapture her with his legs. She warily stepped back as he flipped onto his feet in a flash. Her face grimaced, but she swallowed nervously as he stepped toward her like a wolf about to sink its teeth into its prey.

"Leo…" she breathed. _I've NEVER seen him like this before!_

He pounced. Large hands gripped her forearms and yanked her arms over her head; hard plastron shoved into her torso, slamming her back against something hard, and rough. _The tree…_ The thought had barely entered her mind when his warm, firm mouth smashed into hers.

The moan he forced from her throat was involuntary and immediate. _Leo!_ Karai's mind staggered, barely able to think of anything but the way his lips took possession of hers; without a moment's hesitation, her mesmerized lips mirrored every enticing movement. He groaned into her delicious, gasping mouth, thrusting his wide tongue insatiably into the inviting recess. Her fists unclenched; her fingers trembled.

No matter how deeply he kissed her, Leo simply could not get enough. Pressing his body into hers, crushing her against the tree's gnarled trunk, not allowing her mouth a single moment's reprieve; he relished every sound of pleasure she made, every sigh, every shiver that traversed through her limbs. Everything Karai did just made him hunger for her more.

Leo slowly loosened his grip on her wrists; her arms slid down through his hands until their fingers were splayed together. He pulled her hands out to her sides and pushed them into the rough bark. Karai arched her back and pressed her abdomen against his plastron, eliciting a ravenous growl from him.

The inferno of their passion burned hot and bright for minutes that felt like hours. Neither could remember the dangers that awaited them, nor the argument that had brought them to this moment. Consumed with each other, hearts pounding and lungs screaming for air, their thoughts aligned with the same notion:

… _For as long as I live…I can NEVER be apart from you._

Unable to bear it any longer, Karai leaned back, forcing Leo to withdraw his tongue from her mouth with a reluctant groan; she turned her face to one side, panting for breath with eyes still closed. Leo looked at her briefly, then dove for her neck, gently dragging his teeth across the pale, porcelain skin. The whimper and tremor that the sensation produced in her were enough to drive him insane. He was about to release her hands and envelop her in his arms, eager to crush her against him and never let her go, when a voice from the dojo's entrance startled them both into sudden stillness.

"Karai? Leo? You guys in here…?"

Her lids fluttered open and they stared at each other breathlessly, hastily and silently conveying all they wanted to say. Karai's face was flushed; Leo lowered her hands in his, releasing one to reach up and stroke her cheek. Her chin trembled in his hand as he cupped her jaw and gently pressed their lips together. Though still hidden by the tree's broad trunk, they could hear footsteps approaching and knew they were about to be discovered. With a deep sigh their lips parted; Leo rested his forehead against hers. They looked into each other's eyes as Donnie walked past and went into Karai's room, failing to notice them under the shade of the tree.

"Karai? Did you tell Leo yet…? … …Where _are_ they? We've GOT to get her out of here!"

Donnie turned back toward the tree and stopped short. His normally green face turned as red as Raphael's mask. Leo and Karai ignored him completely, lost in each other's eyes and savoring these last few moments together before they were forced to flee the city. Donnie muttered something unintelligible, turned on his heel, and walked quickly out of the dojo. _Time is of the essence, but…there's no WAY I'm getting in the middle of…that!_

Alone again, Leo placed one hand on either side of Karai's head and gently pulled her closer to him.

"Karai…are you really so afraid of…of losing me?" His cobalt eyes implored her for the truth.

Tears sprang to her honesty-filled orbs. "I…I can't do this to you again, Leo. I can't watch you hurting, and bleeding, because of my actions. I love you, but I CAN'T let that happen, no matter what it ta-"

He muffled her mouth with his.

Moments later, he freed her lips, but remained so close that his brushed over her mouth when he spoke. "And I _CAN'T_ let you go, Karai. I _need_ you. I need to be near you; I need to know you're okay; I need to see you, and hear you, and touch you…"

She stopped his words short with a kiss.

"Okay."

"…Okay...?"

"Okay…you can come with me."

He arched an unamused brow. "Like I need your permission."

Karai smirked haughtily in response. Leo growled and slammed her back against the tree, stealing one last, profound kiss from her before suddenly releasing her and walking away to pick up his swords. Karai gasped, sighed, and grinned mischievously after him.

"Hmmm… Looks like this trip _is_ gonna be fun after all _."_

…

…

…

…


End file.
